Kora: Mata Nui
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: Rewrite: The seal between the worlds has been weakened and cracked by Makuta. The guardians of the Kora are scrambling to reawaken their charges, who are destined for the island of Mata Nui. But you have to survive to for fill your destiny...
1. Toa Hanu

** Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter One:

Toa Hanu

Nata, the Toa of fire sighed in relief when he saw the group of humans. Beside him his ice brother Taru chuckled.

"What are the odds, brother," The ice Toa spoke up, keeping his arms crossed, "That our Kora charges would be related… again?"

"It is more like the Great Spirit's sense of humor showing through." Nata shock his head, though he was still amused at this development as the rest of his Toa siblings. Just like how they all thought it was funny that they called themselves the Toa Hanu.

'_Huna_' meaning a Kanohi mask of concealment. Yet none of the Toa had such a mask, despite all having the ability of camouflage that was so strong that only the Toa _Hanu _could truly see each other. Neither humans, nor Bionicle could see these Toa if they didn't wish to be seen.

"Interesting mix this time," Taru noted the family, that was really two, was sorting themselves out for their 'camping trip.' He inhaled and the ice Toa's expression softened as he spotted his new charge and then let out a deep rumble.

Nata echoed the rumble, that was vaguely like a purr if one thought about it, as he too spotted the relatively tiny child. He loved all the Kora, not just his younger fire elements. Right now his own charge was nearing the time of rebirth, but not just yet. There were only two Kora, those of ice and stone in this set that had been reborn currently.

"Ronoko must be thrilled right now," The fire Toa said after a moment of thought and he recalled that their stone brother had the chance to not only watch, but participate in the rebirth of his Kora.

"The others are still searching for hosts?" Taru asked, but wasn't giving his complete paying attention to his brother as he couched down on the cliff the two were on, where they could over look much land.

Nata nodded, "Yes. Nanu is having some trouble even with the help of his mask power."

"All air Kora give him trouble." Taru said distractedly, starting to his right and the path down, "Do you think it's too soon brother...?"

The fire Toa chuckled, fallowing after the ice spirit, "The two elders are here, I am sure you will hold your Kora brother."

Taru gave another pleased rumble at that before both Toa brothers slid down and waited. Almost hovering but giving enough space for the humans until sun set when they could speak to the elders.

* * *

"So_ this_ is where you got to!" A female voice called from with in the light given off from the teleportation system the Toa Hanu used. Scantly a moment later there was a thud as the blue Toa landed.

Nata turned, smiling, "Sister!"

He held his arms out and swept up the slender water Toa into his arms. Nata spun her around in good humor before setting her back down on her feet. The fire spirit had to stoop to be able press his mask to hers in the Bionicle equivalent of a light kiss to his younger water sister.

Toa Ania laughed in delight, not for the first time loving that Nata wasn't completely like other fire Toa, most of them thrived on rivalry with water and ice elements. But not Nata. She scanned around the great underground cavern and spotted two other Tao. "Are those...?"

"Yes," Nata smiled softly over at Taru and Ronoko. Or rather to two little Bionicle beings each were holding. No bigger then a Matoran child, the two young Kora were more streamline and had scant few armor parts at the moment.

"Two Kora already? So close to each other in age." Ania said as she moved over to the snoring stone spirit.

Ronoko had made what could be called a bed that would only ever be comfortable to a Toa of stone, maybe an earth elemental. Feet propped up and leaning back in a reclined possession with his arms partly crossed, more supporting the young Kora on his chest. Surprisingly the Kora was sleeping soundly through the loud snores coming from Ronoko.

Ania smiled, kneeling down beside her brother. Bracing one hand on his shoulder and reaching over to the Kora. She stopped though before running careful finger tips over the Kora's back as she saw the faint glow of elemental energy that Ronoko was giving. Patting her brother's shoulder and leaving him to snore away like a minor rockslide she turned.

Taru was humming, sitting up right in the stone and wooden 'chair' that was made for him some centuries ago. His Kora was awake, but quietly watching and listening with the side of her head again the ice Toa's chest to feel as much as hear his rumbling winter song. "Hello sister." Taru said, lifting his free hand in a closed fist to lightly tap against Ania's before lowing it back down to make sure the Kora didn't fall off her spot in the crock of his arm.

Even this young and having been reborn not long ago the Kora looked familiar. It could just be the way she was limply sprawled.

"Where is Zaro?" The water Toa asked after sinking up to her chest into the main pool of their collective Suva/Kini. She swished around in the clear water, taking a moment or two to enjoy the feeling until settling down with arms crossed on the edge of the stone side of the pool.

Nata sat down with the flat of his feet pressed together, Bionicle were unable to cross their legs like humans could, "He is still out searching like Nanu." The fire elemental said.

"That makes three of us that have not found hosts for the Kora to be reborn." Ania said with an exasperated sigh and propped her chin up in one palm. "This batch is being exceedingly annoying"

"You will find the Kora of water sister," Nata reassured conveniently.

"We always do." Taru added, his smooth voice had a lyrical lilt to it. Standing the stark white Toa stooped to try and catch the Kora that was bee-lining to the water, "Come back here..."

"I knew I saw that one before," Ania snapped her fingers and pointed, before reaching out to lift the ice Kora up not a moment too soon for the little being was about to fall in.

"Talra." Taru rolled his eyes with an exasperated expression, this was going to be a long first few years and he knew it all to well. The stark white Toa knelt down to take his charge from his water sister.

Nata rumbled in amusement, shifting his gaze over to their Stone brother that snorted and shook his head, "Talra, Telem... two from the first set of Kora in the same batch."

"What do you want to bet," Ronoko yawned, "That the other four will be in this batch?"

"I drought that brother."

"Just watch sister, just watch."

* * *

"In coming!" A voice and a surge of wind preceded the vibrant green giant of a Toa. Nanu flipped head over heads twice and landed with far more grace and ease then someone his size should be able to. The biggest of the Toa Hanu by far, Nanu took a few long strides into the middle of the clearing that he and his siblings favored.

Holding out his arms the air Toa tipped forwards before body flopping down, now with absolutely no grace what so ever and landing hard enough to shake the ground. There were a few chuckles from the other Toa as the air spirit propped his head on crossed forearms a moment later and gave a sigh that was both relived and tired at the same time.

"Welcome back brother." Ronoko said in his deep voice, reaching out with a foot to prod a patch of green armor. He quirked up an eye ridge at Taru, who shrugged.

"...took far too long." Nanu said, words muffled, "Is tirehard work this go about round."

"This will be the first time the air Kora is the youngest." Zaro said from where he was stealing Taru's favored seat. He watched as the two oldest and second largest Toa of fire and ice stood and helped Nanu back up to his feet and into the spot Nata had been sitting and leaning back against a rock the stone Toa had pulled out of the ground.

"Highgood greetings brothers, sister," Nanu said belatedly taking a seat next to the pool and beside Taru. He beamed as Ania handed him a handless stone cup of the apple fruit juice he liked before sitting in his lap. "Ooo... Nanu thinks he is going to be rottenspoiled."

"You have been searching these last few years air brother," Nata said, kicking Zaro out of the stone and wooden seat with the easy of an elder brother picking on a younger one in good fun. "You deserve some attention."

The earth Toa leapt up to his feet but being no bigger then Ania, thus barely coming up to Nata's lower chest. The fire Toa was still a giant of a Toa even if Nanu was the biggest. With a clang of metal on metal Nata and Zaro where soon locked in an energetic wrestling match that was common with the Toa Hanu and rolling away before coming back.

Ronoko avoided the red and black ball of armor and occasional curse with the deftness of one too used to such things as he came over to offer his air brother some food. Light though, mostly assorted fruit and a little of the smoked fish Taru had been given as an offering. "How long are you staying brother?"

"Mmm..." Nanu mumbled something around a mouth full of peach and salmon, and not spilling on Ania as he tilted one hand side to side in a 'so-so' motion that the Toa Hanu had picked up from the humans. After several content mouthfuls and another cup of apple juice he spoke, "Ah, I am hardthinking only for few sort days before returning by teleport back to watch over our littlesmall airsisiter."

Taru let out a sudden bark of laugher, having been watching Nata and Zaro wrestle and debating on if he should join in. Zaro had gotten a good kick in and Nata had to roll away, nursing his middle.

The earth Toa pounced on the fire spirit with a, "HAH!" Only to get a long red arm hocked around his neck and pinning the smaller black Zaro to Nata's chest.

Taru was highly amused, as well as Nanu who fell over laughing and hugging the giggling Ania. Ronoko, as the apparently only sane member of his 'family' slapped a hand over his face.


	2. Water Spirits

** Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Two:

Water Spirits

It was the ringing stillness that woke him up. Denial, or 'Deni' as he liked to be called by family and friends, blinked at the sky far above him. For several long minutes he could think, just float on his back listening to under water sounds and wondering what had happened.

Slowly, he started to move, twitching arms and legs. Water sloshed up on Deni's face as a result and that woke him up fully. He righted himself to tread water, feeling the line on his ankle that connected him to his surfboard. Deni paddled over so he could hang onto the board as he stopped kicking and looked around.

He was in a sheltered cove of sorts... no not a cove, a small lake. The water tasted fresh to boot. Deni kicked and pulled himself up onto the surfboard before flattening out on it and starting to paddle again with his hands and forearms back to the closest beach. He must have really knocked his head good in a wipeout... They boy froze as his surrenders sank in.

...What _had_ happened?

Deni had been on his first vacation with his, admittedly, 'hippy' like family. Three to four weeks in Hawaii and staying with cozens with unlimited surfing and diving (both scuba and free diving). Granted the diving included doing surveys for the research center. 'Hippy' his parents may be like, but they were some of the best marine biologists.

But this...this lake looked _nothing_ like the islands he been on for the last two weeks. It was tropical yes, but no really a rain forest. After some poking around a and quick climb up a tree it proved that the surrounding area was more wet land. Deni counted four streams at least that were with in sight.

Yet what attracted his attention however was the sight of a towering dome like structure in the distance. Only able to see it thanks to the fact he was up in the highest branches of the tree. How Deni didn't see it on the ground when it looked to be almost the size of a small mountain he had no idea. There looked to be several different kinds of vines (different colored leaves) clinging on the sides of the place known as the Kini Nui, although Deni didn't know this tid-bit yet. What he did know was that this was most defiantly _not_ Hawaii.

Deni scooted down the tree and sat down at the base of it, between two large root ridges, hiding him from sight mostly. Staring with wide eyes around him as it sank in that no only was he no where near home, bot also nothing looked familiar. From the texture of the tree's bark and sand, to the types and colors of ferns, bushing and assorted plant life were nothing like 'normal.' The boy, no older then thirteen at most by the looks of it, wrapped his arms around his knees as he had a good think to remember what had happened to him and how he had ended up where ever 'here' was.

The boy fiddled with a few shells that looked like they came from a clam. Deni vaguely remembered wiping out and being under water, unable to find out what was 'up' or 'down...' and then waking up in the water a bit ago. It wasn't much to go on.

Deni looked up, frowning as he stood. Blinking he turned around a few times in a somewhat dazed, confused state.

After a moment he stated off. Heading just to the right of that big temple, being drawn that way with out really knowing he was doing so. For a while he walked, dragging his surfboard along with him until he needed it.

That was a lot sooner then expected, Deni could and did walk through the streams easily enough. When he came to the river it was also just as easy to sit on the surfboard and let the slow moving water to the bulk of the traveling work. It was heading in the _right_ direction, where ever that may be but it was right and he was going that way.

It seemed like a very good idea that he was on the water, nearly in the middle of the river way. Because there were some, well, rather scary looking 'monsters' on the banks. Some looked like animals, only were massive and clad in armor…yet the creatures barely gave him a look as they drank and left.

Time seemed pointless, like it always did when on any kind of water. It drifted like the river at a slow, hypnotic pace. The boy craned his head back as he stared up into some trees, the filtered light through the leaves making all sorts of patterns on anything under them. Deni was leaning back as well until he fell with a thump on the surfboard. Cross eyed with a fever Deni dropped off into a fit full sleep.

The surfboard continued to float along with its passenger. At least until a blue and silver hand came out of the water, the board stopping when the end ran into the palm.

Something... _big_ was in the water. The hand was much bigger that any human hand, though slim it was still several times larger then a grown man's. The form in the water moved, rising up and out the giant, for that was what it –or rather- she was, stood in the river that barely came up to her armored chest. Aqua eyes flowed softly under a scuba-like mask. One of her hands lifted out of the water, the other holding the surfboard as she traced the side of Deni's face and neck with a careful finger tip.

"What are yoy?" The blue and silver, biomechanical being asked, "And what are you doing in my Suva?"

Still with careful, well, _care_ she picked the human boy up, holding him almost in the crock of one arm. Toa Gali turned and looked up, automatically covering Deni with a protective hand but relaxed as she saw the hunched form of the Turaga, Nokama.

The elder was staring, surprised and a little stunned as the Toa came over, dropping her to her knees to be closer to Nokama's level. "That…Is a Kora."

Gali tilted her head, "A what?"


	3. Air Spirits

** Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Three:

Air Spirits

The air was clean, but not crisp. It had a mix of so many hundreds of smells, the air was warm and cool at the same time. It had moisture in it too. Not that Lee was much aware of that. She was too distracted at finding how far down the ground was, laying flat on her stomach she goggled after peeking over the edge of the floor.

That was a _long_ way down! The tree this small temple was in, as well as the surrounding ones had to be at least sky scraper sized. She was hundreds of feet up, and there was still more tree up above.

Lee carefully edged away from the edge and as she did so a strong wind rolled through the temple. It was clearly visible by all the pollen, small flowers and leaves chasing each other in swirls on the floor then out the flat edge of the other side of the temple. The gust brought new smells of a healthy rainforest. New smells but at least it was right, it did smell like a rain forest, if not the one she'd lived by and in for the past few years, but still a rainforest. That was good, she new how to survive in a jungle.

The vivid sunlight dimmed and the girl, no older then twelve or thirteen, looked to the nearest open side. After it notability darkened again there was an unmistakable crack of thunder and, true to the term 'rain forest,' it started to rain. No, it started to _poor_.

At least that was familiar too. It rained in rainforests after all.

Lee looked up and waited for a half a minute to see if there were any leaks in this temple place. There were none and the girl was thankful for that. Getting wet wasn't a high priority for her. Besides the humidity was already thick enough as it was.

With out much to do, and strangely not panicked over her situation, she sat down with her back to a pedestal that was the only thing really in this place. No that wasn't true there were shelves up near the roof, a good seventeen or eighteen feet up. It looked like there were things up there but the girl couldn't see from her angle.

This place was circular in shape, at least twenty five feet or so wide. The floor was one was an interesting mix of stone and wood, making so many patterns that crawled up the 'walls' that were little more then three supports that were two feet thick and four wide. Most of the chamber was wide open to the air and sights of the other skyscraper sized trees like this 'small' temple. It seemed really big, but in comparisons to others on the island it was considered small.

The pedestal in the middle was rounded, five feet high and made of stone. It had a flat square, also stone with an engraved emblem of some kind on both sides.

Lee shifted so she was laying down on her side, head resting on her arm. For a while, she just watched the rain and listened to the sound of it hitting not only the roof but the wide leaves that framed the 'back' and one side of the temple (yet were still out of reach).

Then strange...birds?

Yes, four winged and biomechanical bird like animals that almost looked like humming birds. Only this flock that winged past the temple and into another massive tree, were huge. Someone could easily put a saddle on them...wait. _Was_ there a saddle on that one with seeming longer wings?

The girl scrambled up and then to the edge of the air temple again. Flattening out and gripping the edge she watched these strange, yet some how pretty 'birds' as they vanished into their chosen tree. Trilling calls were heard before them must have settled to wait out the storm.

The wind shifted, blowing some fat droplets of rain on Lee. The water was warm but she still squeaked in protest and scooted back. The roof extended beyond the edge of the floor so she didn't get as wet if it was even. Standing and walking back to the middle, Lee inspected the pedestal.

"Hmm," Lee made an interested sound as she found the square wasn't fixed in place. A careful poke proved that it could move, and smoothly. Curiously the girl gripped one side and move it a few inches so the engraving fully faced her.

For a moment, Lee stared at the emblem. That strange feeling one got when they knew they've seen or heard something before settled on her.

Some faint memory nagged at her awake mind, but it was fuzzy and somewhat distorted. A different world and someone bigger then her but not her parents had reached down to lift her up. Voices of others speaking and another person that was hot like a fire.

"Nata..." Lee said, frowning, "Where have I heard that before?" she asked the stone plate in front of her, that emblem was still just so familiar. She rested her left hand on it, like the edge the middle wasn't cold.

The inlayed carving glowed.

Yelping Lee bounced away, holding her hands against her as if expecting to be burned. But she wasn't, and the emblem continued to glow a soft bottle green shade.

After a moment of nothing more happening, when nothing popped out of the floor or thin air and leapt at Lee to bit, poke or eat her, she relaxed. Just as Lee was reaching for the plate again she stopped and turned into a new wind.

It came from a completely new direction then before, bringing with it the smell of not only the rain but something else that was like over ripe fruit and clean, slightly cool are.

Lee closed her eyes, enjoying it before the smell linked to a memory of another mix of scents like this. "Nanu." Lee said looking around, the name bring a feeling of safety. But like before, Lee knew that she knew but it was just outside of her grasp.

Frustrated, she shifted her attention back to the pedestal. Putting her hand on it again had no reaction. It continued to glow no mater how many times she touched it, where or what was it was turned.

The more then loud _thud_ of something landing on the rood made the girl freeze, eyes wide. But before she could hope it was just a fallen branch, she distantly heard a step. It was no normal human stride but long and had the sound of a great weight.

A giant swung down, holding on the end of the roof with one hand and reaching out to catch the end of a large foot on the edge of the floor. The other hand grasping one of the supports as the being pulled himself into the temple, _his_ temple or Suva as it really called.

The Suva that had been so big was suddenly much, much smaller now that this being filled it up. He stood a good eighteen, maybe nineteen tall and was remarkably streamlined. His armor shined a vivid green, but looking like the metal was that color not painted. Under the armor was strange, it wasn't skin but slightly. More like a hide almost that was colored light gray, yet it integrated with the armor and mechanical looking joints. Twin swords where clasp on his back and visible over his shoulders, easy to grab if the need arose.

Water dripped off him as multi-colored eyes that were white in the middle, sky blue 'irises' on a light green backdrop. Those eyes were glowing in the dim light and were scanning around before settling on a foot.

As if on a cue the bare, human foot was yanked out of sight where the owner was hiding behind the pedestal.

Toa Lewa got a very strange look on his mask that moved like a face, not rigid. "Who seekcalls Toa of air?" he asked as he couched down until he could balance his weight on all fours, leaning forwards and peering around the pedestal.

Lee looked up and screamed as she scrambled away.

Lewa yelped and scrambled back himself, startled. Not used to getting the reaction of fear from anyone smaller then him.


	4. Ice Spirits

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Four:

Ice Spirits

Silence...

Deafening, crushing, all consuming _silence!_

She struggled, trying to move and dig herself out of...out of her tomb it seemed. For that was she was in: a tomb of crushing snow and ice.

The numbing silence was filled with a memory of that roar from the avalanche, and that terrifying moment when she realized that she couldn't get away...Being beaten and spun around and around until finally blacking out. _Now_ it was a fight for freedom.

A foot kicked out of the snow, and after much twisting, squirming and pretending to be a worm (it seemed to help her forget she had bones) before she was free.

Talra gave a rather un-lady-like grunt as she dropped, rolled a few feet and stopped thanks to something hard on the shoulder. "Ow." She said as she pulled off her helmet for the coolness of the snow on her pounding headache and the need for the feeling of a deep breath.

"Ow..." Talra said against a few minutes later for a lack of anything else to say or do.

When it didn't hurt as much to breath Talra slowly eased herself up right and then used a pile of snow to pull herself into something like a standing position. Blinked amber eyes the young woman took everything in, the textured landscape of the avalanche, her bruised maybe broken ribs that didn't let her take a deep breath, a shear lack of any other living person. No sounds of the such and rescue helicopter she knew the resort had and dispatched since she worked for the such and rescue team.

Talra, despite some things, was never one to swear. She agreed with her grandfathers in that if you constantly swear then those words loose their harshness and sharp edges. Then when you _really_ need it, the words meant nothing.

So, after taking stock of everything about her situation, Talra said a very bad word, or two.

Bending over to pick up her helmet and checking her boots proved not to be the best idea. She still had the ridged boots, but not the snowboard that had been attached. It must have been ripped away somewhere in the wall of snow and ice. That was okay though, better the getting a limb taken off instead.

Best to look on the bright side of things! Though no to close, Talra put her helmet back on, "GAH!" she pulled it off again and shook out the snow that got inside before putting it back on again to cut down on the glare from the snow as much to keep her head warmer. She flipped the visor down and eyed the small compus. It was moving yes, but it wasn't moving _right_.

Talra reached up to tap the side of the helmet.

No change, the needle spun lazily around but that was it.

The young woman grumbled as she flipped the visor back up, turning around a few times to get her bearings. She didn't recognize anything, but that wasn't anything surprising since and _avalanche_ happened and those tended to mix up the landscape something fierce.

Talra had clawed her way free form the snow in a dip of two large drifts. All she could see beyond the drifts was the mutation. That was as good of a reference point as any. Now considering where she had been before and were base camp was… It meant that lodge would be _that_ way.

Talra turned to her left and started a limping, somewhat slow walk, trying not to breathe too deeply.

"Oh come _on!_" She wasn't afraid to whine (after everything that happened she did have the right to whine a little bit!) as she spotted a looming storm head in the sky. Every instinct screamed 'blizzard!!' and Talra was inclined to agree with those instincts. So she limped a little faster, keeping an eye out for some shelter. "Screw- oh-" what was said next was spoken in another language and would translate to something like: "By the spirits-no way!"

Talra just managed _not_ to go over the edge of a rather sneaky cliff face. But it was the clear, beautiful landscape that had gotten the vocal reaction, not the cliff itself.

"Toto," She said slowly to the helmet she'd taken off for a better look. Talra really didn't have a god to announce this to so the helmet would have to do, "We ain't in Alaska no more."

After a few moments had past, or minutes it was hard to really because time decided to warp, slowing or speeding up...it was hard to tell. It was the snowflakes that snapped her out of the dazed. Talra quirked up an eyebrow as she shook out the flakes that got into her helmet and put it back on again, snugging it down.

No search and rescue helicopter. Talra grumbled again as she realized that she had just wasted time. She may have to dig into a drift if there were not other options.

Talra snapped out of another zoned out stare. She looked around at her unfamiliar, new surroundings before pulling the helmet back off again and dropped it. Carefully she felt around her head and in the short cropped hair without gloves, having stuffed them in pockets. Did she have a concussion? After what happened it was more then likely. Her head _hurt_ one way or another.

"I donna feel good…" she said squinting. That when she saw it, almost missing the large structure that was haft buried in drifts of snow (what happened to the avalanche landscape?) that mostly hid the place. It seemed as good as any place to go.

_Oh look_, Talra though in a detached manor, _I'm falling_.

Fainting was more like it to tell the truth, but she didn't know that. Actually, to be honest Talra was out like a light before hitting the ground. Well, she _would_ have hit the ground if a, very, large hand hadn't been put between her and gravity.

Kopaka wrapped in fingers around the smaller 'human,' lifting the discussed Kora up onto his arms. He tilted his head, shifting the focus of his optic for a better look. "So, the Kora of ice...last to arrive." He turned partly and looked down and to the east a bit at the small avalanche that had drawn him here to check the structural integrity of his Suva.

The Toa's attention shifted to the forming storm on the side of the mountain. Kopaka took a deep breath and let out a high, piercing whistle as he extended his free hand. The command was obeyed as the storm fizzled out and dispelled, thus making life easier to get back to the Koro.


	5. Fire Spirits

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Five:

Fire Spirits

"Running, running, _run away!_"

Tahu jerked awake, disturbing the young Ta-Matoran that had migrated to sleep against him as they always did when the fire sprite was sitting or resting inside the village. Tahu caught the Matoran child that had been his chest before he sat up.

He looked around in time to see the Kora of fire run past, a Kolii stick in hand and being pursued by one Chronicler. The lesion of the game proper had long since dissolved as the two now were playing something like tag and keep-away in one.

The elder spirit of fire quirked up and eye ridge as he watched the two run by his feet, Storm, his Kora, had the ball in her Kolii stick and was fleeing. Takua was in hot permute, waving his own stick over his head and the two vanished out of sight for the Toa. Out of Tahu's sight but a ta-Matoran guard across him apparently had a clear view of what was going on with the accompanying yells for he had a strange look on his masked face, winced and then smiled.

When the two ran by again five minutes later Takua had the ball and Storm was chasing him. Tahu rolled his glowing eyes before going back to sleep, he had a hard few days beating back wild Rahi from getting too close to the village, knowing his Kora was well in the hands of the Ta-Koro Guard that was hovering and fallowing the two.

"Not fair Takua!" the Kora yelled as they ran by again, and then as she passed the line of Tahu's feet stumbled. Faltering the younger elemental doubled over coughing, gasping in an attempted to breath again.

Instantly the Chronicler was back, dropping his Kolii stick and the ball, "Kora! Kapura, help me." He added to the Matoran that hurried over.

"M'em fine." Storm wheezed, thumping her chest with a closed fist. It seemed to work as she managed to suck in a full breath, yet despite her vocal protest didn't, or couldn't fight as the much taller Kapura easily picked up the human formed Kora up and carried her over to the Chronicler's 'hut' (a small library was more like it!). "This is somewhat embarrassing." She muttered.

Kapura smiled down at the Kora as he ducked into Takua's home and set Storm down on his friend's bed. "Are you alright Kora?" he asked, Kapura's voice was oddly soft, almost not fitting his body since the second in command of the Ta-Koro Guard was as big, if not a little taller then Jaller. Both were above average height for a Ta-Matoran as it was, so Kapura was quite tall and broad in the shoulders for a Matoran.

"I'm fine," Storm insisted but saw the looks on Takua and Kapura that clearly said they didn't believe her any which way.

"Uh-huh." Takua climbed up on a shelf, pulling down a storage gourd that was like a jar, grabbed a handless cup, "It is not the Turaga's tea." The Chronicler assured seeing to worried look of the young fire elemental. "Still good for you, a friend of mine in Le-Koro makes it for me."

"What's that like?" Storm asked now leaning up against Kapura, who was sitting beside her, as if she hadn't been protesting she was fine twenty seconds ago.

"Le-Koro?"

"Yeah, what were you doing there?"

"Story collecting." The tall guard said with a small smile at his friend.

"Can you tell me some?" Storm asked, unknowingly putting herself and Kapura in danger as Takua perked up at her words.

An hour later the Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard poked his head into his best friends library like home. He found the Kora asleap with her head on Kapura's leg and Takua was talking. The Chronicler hadn't taken any offence at this, in fact he was the one asuring Kapura that Turaga Vakama said that that was going to happen a lot. The Kora were still healing and growing so he didn't mind and it only took a little to encouragement to got the shorter Ta-Matoarn going again in his story.

Smilling in that Bionicle way, Jaller slipped in and sat down to listen to his friend. For all of those little anoyances of Takua's sometimes, the Matoran really did know how to tell a good story! The Chronicler didn't quiet have that same captivating magic in his words that all the Turaga had (but then again the Turaga must have been teling stories and histories for far longer then any Matoran), but he was still really good.

And what Matoran didn't like a good story? More so when it was about one of their Toa heroes!

At the sound of drumbs, distance drumbs, everyone paused to hear the first set that anouced where the message came from. Ko-Koro as the case was now.

Jaller got up and peeked out the open door, Takua hovering behind him and Kapura was starting to disatangle himself. All three knew all the message codes and had pounded out most of those with their own hands as well.

"What is it?" Kaprua ask, having missed the start.

"Ko-Koro says that Kopaka just found the last Kora." Takua said crowding the bigger Jaller, half going under his best friend's arm to hear more clearly.

"That makes six," Jaller said, nodding, "Just like the Turaga said."

Behind the three Ta-Matoran Storm smiled a little, still tired and her body wanting to finish her nap. The young fire elemental blinked as a section of the drumb message. For a brief moment, she was some where else, not in Ta-Koro, or Ta-Wahi, or even back home in Alaska.

It was warm like the sun, but the light was more of a blue-white then the normal yellow tinge. There was no sky or horisen, but walls of earth and stone that rose as high as a skyscraper in the middle, sloping down lower at the very edges. The air was warm and clean, cleaner then what would be expected for being under gound. There were trees too, a stream that twined around the large chamber and somewhere a flute like sound playing out a rhythm.

Someone massive was walking beside her, leading yet keeping long, ground eating strides considerbly shorter for her sake. Glowing eyes of light orange on red, like and unlike Tahu's white on red looked down at the child. _Do not fear my little fire sister, this is your true home._ A voice, faint in memory but still there.

A Toa of fire that hadn't been Tahu. Storm needed to see Turaga Vakama, yet a name stuck with her, something she knew ment safety.

Nata.


	6. Earth Spirits

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Six:

Earth Spirits

"I _can_ walk you know." A soft female voice said in the darkness.

There was a rumble like and unlike a bear and a much deeper, rough male voice said, "Would you rather walk on your own here sister?"

There was a pause.

"No." The soft voice was more tiny, nervousness tingling the edge of it. A moment or a minute later, time flowed different underground, there was a squeak of protest. The steady steps that should have been heavy and thudding but were strangely whisper quiet finally stopped after what seemed like a good hour, "Onua?" a pause, "...brother?"

"Shh," Onua rumbled again as he knelt down, well able to see in little light. Like the Onu-Matoran the Toa of earth also had an acute hearing and all the other senses were heightened. It was one of the reasons he didn't like bright lights since he was more sensitive to it.

Right now the biggest and oldest of the Toa Nuva eased down into a crouch, lifting a hand to hold it over his Kora as a shield against what ever had caught his attention in the darkness. He felt Kara shift slightly in the crook of his right arm before she heard it to.

The soft scraping of metal claws on stone.

A faint but still audible growl.

With barely a sound Onua reached back over his shoulder and his hand dipped into his deep space pocket and pulled out his drill. At the same time moving out of his kneeling position to a crouch, altering his center of balance enough so he could move in any direction.

What ever Rahi creature was out there paused, it was close enough that the Toa could make out the outline but thankfully not so close he could see details. A wedged shaped head turned to him and bright yellow optic like eyes opened, casting and eerie glow over the Toa's armor and mask. A lower jaw dropped before splitting down the middle, a single killing fang unfolded from each half of the lower jaw before a hissing sound came out of the Rahi that turned into a growl.

Onua's own softly glowing gaze brightened and he stood, pushing Kara over his shoulder in the same movement. A deep, _vibrating_ growl came out of the Toa as his other drill dropped into his free hand from deepspace.

Apparently the black and grey giant was just _too_ big or too scary for the Rahi's lower jaw clicked closed and it backed up. The yellow glow faded before the eyes closed as well and in the new dark there were sounds of the thing moving off.

Onua sighed and relaxed once he was sure the Rahi predator was gone, "That was close." He made a mental note to come back and track that predator as soon as he saw his Kora safe in the village. "Are you alright sister?"

"I'm fine Onua," Kara said from where she was doing an exigent impression of a starved leach on the Toa's back, minus blood sucking that is. She was between the equivalent of Onua's shoulder blades, under the level of his neck, and oddly seemed to know where to brace her hands and feet with out catching them in his armor.

"Hang on, we're getting back to the newer tunnels." Onua warned as he started off, lengthening his already long stride from that leisurely walking pace of before into a truly ground eating one. This was how he could cover distances without actually running. The Toa was mildly surprised the younger elemental could hang on so well. But then this was for first time she was more hitching a ride rather then being carried, although Onua had glimpsed the girl on the shoulders of a Matoran once or twice.

"Why are we going back Onua?" Kara asked as their direction clicked in her mental map of where they have been.

With in no time at all there were star like speckles from bioluminescent plant shuts at the bases of the walls. They had an aqua glow to them and with a few more long strides of the Toa was in a tunnel with painted on algie that glowed a much brighter shade then the plants and were in a decorative pattern.

"Yes little one." Onua said and turned his head to peer over his shoulder but Kara was out of his line of sight. The Toa slowed but before he could stop the Kora had already climbed down and hopped off. Onua knelt down, reached out to brush his fingers down the girl's side.

Kara, small by human standers was virtually tiny in comparison to the black guardian spirit. She, like the other Kora on the island had gray skin, a darker shade not unlike Storm but that comparison wouldn't be until later. A long ago she had longer hair but it had been cut short for a few years now. Kara was bare foot and wore black slacks and a purple long sleeve shirt that was hidden under a grey hoodie. Once dark brown eyes were fading to a gold hue now as her skin thickened with each passing day.

"I will bring you to my Kini after I have taken care of that Rahi." Onua promised, "Right now though let us get you back to Turaga Whenua."

The Kora smiled, having already formed an attachment to the elder. It helped that the girl had been and still was intrested in any book as well as history before finding herself on the island of Mata Nui. That was one of the things that had gotten her into the Onu-Koro's Turaga's good graces, that and she hid from Onua behind Whenua many times to start with, thus triggering the Toa instincts he still had (though only six beings on the island knew of those instincts, Whenua included).

"Come sister." Onua said as he stood, motioning his Kora to fallow him.

"I'm coming!" Kara said as she trotted after, keeping up with the earth giant's longer stride. Her keen eyes taking in the details of the wall including many of the carved in messages the Matoran wrote for each other.

The Matoran written and spoken langue, as well as sub dialects up to and including those of the Toa, had actually been programmed into the Kora according to the Turaga. Kara herself had puzzled over that before deciding she really didn't want to know how she was 'programmed.' She just excepted the fact she could read what was written and strangely it took a bit of concentration to speak English or the other two human languages Kara knew.

Something, a phrase really caught the girl's attention at a tunnel junction.

Onua was ten passes ahead when he glanced down and there was no Kora. Spinning a round with more speed then something near thirty feet and several tons should be able to do, the Toa tensed...and relaxed. "Kara what...?"

"_Zaro_!" The Kora pointed at something on the wall before turning her wide eyes to Onua, "I remember! Zaro! He was another Toa of earth!"


	7. Stone Spirits

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Seven:

Stone Spirits

"Telem! Look-"

_Whack!_

"-out..." Pohatu finished his warning. The Toa of stone sighed as he put his hand over his masked face, clawed finger tips clicking as he dragged his hand down before stepping over two Matoran and then over to where his Kora was now sprawled out on the ground. The somewhat hunched stone giant leaned down with hands on his knees, quirking up an eye ridge quizzically, "Sister?"

"...Ow." Telem said from under the tree branch that had fallen on her.

Pohatu gave a Bionicle smile as he lifted the branch, and with more ease then he had a right to pitched it off the trail before carefully grasping the Kora under her arms with one hand and lifting her back up to her feet, "Are you okay little stone sister?"

"I'm okay!" The Kora announced, staggered a moment before getting her balance back. With the kind of determinacy that said she was perhaps responsible on part for that what just went wrong and didn't want to show it, Telem grabbed her Kolii ball, made of wood just for her by a Po-Matoran just after she was first introduced to the game. She marched off as if nothing happened.

The Toa chuckled watching for a moment before glancing over at Turaga Onewa and shrugging. Telem tripped and face planted at that exact same time.

As the closest Matoran yelped Pohatu slapped his hand over his mask again. Once he waded into the thick of things, and after Turaga Onewa inspected the Kora for damage from the tree branch of a few minutes ago, the Toa grasped his younger sister by the back of her 'shirt'. It was a _very_ flimsy armor thing that did no good other then blocking good sunlight in his opinion, but Telem was attached to it and didn't want to take it off. Anyways, it made a good handle to lift the Kora up and over Pohatu's shoulder.

"I think you should just ride for a while sister." Pohatu chuckled, "We do not want you to keel over before we even make it to the Kini Nui." The Toa grinned as he heard soft grumbles from behind him as the Kora settled down in that spot between his shoulders and below the neck, the same place the Matoran like to cling to.

Pohatu wondered why that was as he shortened his stride once more to stay even with the group, Turaga Onewa in the lead. Oh sure he could Mask-of-Speed to the Kini Nui but then he'd miss out on the interesting little things, as well as listening to the latest Matoran news he hadn't lately been able to hear. Running after a Kora that wanted to know what everything was and who everyone was, was surprisingly time consuming.

More so after Telem started to show a liking to things that could very well be fatal in her currant organic body in all like.

Programming.

Pohatu shook his head, Turaga Onewa had said it was perfectly normal for a Kora to act like this. More so that Telem's health was now improving, recovering in leaps and bounds from the Makuta's sickness, if she wasn't over it already.

But really, did his Kora sister _have_ to annoy Rahi bigger then her? …And him? True it was nothing Pohatu couldn't handle, yet as a general rule of the sane you don't toss rocks at something with teeth and/or killing bigger than your arm!

The Toa of stone reached up to rub the back of his neck, the wish to be properly up right never entered his head. He had evidently been built, made, whatever, with this hunch and was perfectly adapted to it, he could look all his siblings in the eyes. Well, except Onua but he was abnormally tall even for a Toa according to the Turaga and without his hunch Pohatu would be just the same. He was _technically,_ having the same mass and weight as his earth brother.

The weight on Pohatu's back shifted, Telem climbed up until she could prop her forearms on his right shoulder, feet braced on unmoving armor to save her toes. "Pohatu?"

"Hmm?" The Toa reached up, the backs of two claws brushed against the Kora.

"Where are we going again?"

Pohatu laughed, he couldn't help it, "The Kini Nui, to meet with the others." He nodded to the Po-Koro's elder, "The Turaga, the other Toa and all Kora."

"I thought you said not all the Kora were here." Telem frowned and waved her hands, meaning the island of Mata Nui. She had the grab back onto the moving Bionicle being. The Kora pushed herself up and after a moment she was sitting on the Toa's shoulder, legs hanging down and she thumped the heels against his upper chest.

"According to Turaga Onewa the Kora of Ice was found an eight-day ago." Pohatu said, reaching up again to make sure his stone-sister wouldn't fall off.

Telem made a face, doing some rapid math. Days on Mata Nui were longer then on Earth, being basically 36 hours from sun up to the next sun up. The Bionicle equivalent of a week was eight days not seven. So that would make it… 288 hours, thus 12 days.

Why hadn't she heard about this like with the news of the other Kora?

No wait, she did remember something, but she'd been in the middle of learning a Kolii move from a Matoran at the time, something that involved much falling on her back and rump but that was beside the point. Other then she still couldn't do a flip like that… yet.

"Pohatu?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think, um..."

The Toa patted the Kora's side, "I'm sure the others will like you as much as I do." Pohatu assured, smiling as his stone-sister started muttering that that wasn't what she was going to ask and oh never mind. Yet he felt some of the tension in the younger elemental spirit on his shoulder ease. After a minute of walking he felt Telem lean over and rest her against the side of his, Pohatu smiled, guessing she'd picked up on the Bionicle equivalent of a 'kiss' where two would tap mask to mask. She didn't have a mask, but it still counted, and this was her way of saying thanks for the reassurance.


	8. Senior Spirits

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Eight:

Senior Spirits

"Katava! Cetan!" Toa Nata had to pretty much bellow for the two far to adventurous Kora to hear him on the other is off the massive Toa-Chamber, "Get down from there right now!"

"Mata Nui!" Ania came up beside her fire-brother, a younger air Kora in her arms. Danni twisted to give the two older Kora a baffled look and said in time with the Toa of water, "How did they get up there?"

"Do not even think about it!" Nata yelled again, taking a step forward.

The sun bleached blond 'human' peeked over the ledge he and the darker skinned Katava had climbed up to. The two boys were already starting to show the change back into their true Bionicle forms, but still mostly were in their human disguise. The most noticeable change at the moment was that their skin had turned to shades of gray, the young fire spirit was darker than the air spirit.

"You sure about this Cetan?" Katava frowned, peeking other the edge as well. The oldest of the Kora here spotted Nata and Ronoko, the Toa of stone, marching over.

"I'm an air elemental ain't I?" Cetan shifted, balancing on his finger tips and the balls of his bare feet. He was in a simple tan shirt that was slightly too big for him and a pair of green shorts that had to have a belt to stay on. Cetan, for all his height like Katava he was considerable leaner in build.

"If you're going to do this you better hurry," Katava commented he was just as lanky in the legs and arms as Cetan thanks to their continuing growth spurts. Although Katava looked like he was 18 to 19 years old, he was really only twelve, thus why he said to hurry up rather than stop, "Zaro's heading over here too."

Kora program was playing a part as well.

Not giving himself any more time to think about the Kora of air took two steeps and pushed himself off the ledge, more than one voice yelled out in protest as he did so. Open air... For a moment Cetan was reminded of that first time (in this life) he had been in the clouds with the Toa of air. Cetan could _feel_ the air all around him, almost see it, and it curled around him and through him. Reaching out he thrust out his hands, channeling his power, the air around him to under him...

There was a brief blast...er, _gust_ of wind.

"Uh-oh." Cetan yelled as he slow fall rapidly speed up.

There was a sound like a controlled exploitation, but an exploitation none the less. The air presser in the chamber changed rapidly fallowed by a true blast of wind that pulled the yelping Kora upwards and then into the grasp of a smirking Nanu. "Little airbrother needs to be careful." He said as the giant of the Toa Hanu touched down alarmingly softly on the ground.

"No fair!" Cetan complained having seen what the elder air spirit just did.

"Nanu!"

Nanu looked up and shifting his hold so Cetan was held in his left hand and reached out to catch the laughing Katava as the fire Kora jumped at him.

"Rah!" Zaro threw up his arms, "Mata Nui, why do Kora have to be so..._nuts_?"

"Thank the Great Spirit that it doesn't last." Ania said putting Danni down.

"Yes but we have _three_ sets of Kora in one generation." Nata knelt down as his brother set the two trouble makers down, "Katava, Cetan..."

The boys shifted and braced themselves.

Zaro chuckled as he stooped to pick up Danni and let her scramble back around onto his back as he walked away with Nanu. If Nata couldn't give the best guilt trip than he knew Ania could. "Any word about Talra's set?" He asked looking over at Nanu, paused to roll his eyes as the elder air spirit held his hands out to his younger Kora.

"Sorryno brother." Nanu shook his head after indulging in a cuddle.

"Where were you?" Danni asked and scrambled up onto her brother's shoulder with one hand on the side of his mask.

"Searching for our lost Korasiblings." Nanu said reaching up to pat the girl on the side.

"The portal ways that were used most likely to send them back to our world." Heads turned at the voice.

"Taru?"

"Icebrother?"

The Toa of ice stepped out from one of the side chambers that Ronoko and Zaro had dug out centuries ago as personal rooms for each Toa. There were others here and there for the Kora as well, but they tended to migrate to the nearest Toa and conk out on them instead.

Taru glanced down at Koka, the only non missing Kora of ice that had been reborn, there was a third coming very soon. "I have searched the mountain that Talra favored." He said looking back to his brother, "And I found a portal that didn't lead _here._" He pointed down at the ground between his feet. The ice elemental paused to flag his other broths and sister Toa over, "Nata, it's starting. The barrier between out world and this one has weakened enough that Talra's set I think, are over there."

"Metru Nui?" Ronoko asked, he paused and looked down at Katava, "All the Kora are starting the change at the same time, that means Telem and the others will do so as well, but without us..."

"Talra and Telem are two of the oldest Kora, from the very first set." Nata assured resting a hand on his stone brother's shoulder, "I have faith they will know what to do."

* * *

Queen's note: I wanted to do something with the Toa Hanu, and set one or two things up. Hope people are still intrested in this n,n Heheheheh....beware of the next chapter. XD

Added note: Danni isn't mine, I'm kidna--er (COUGH) barrowing her from StormDracona, and trying to bribe her out of hiding. And brianwash her but that's beside the point.


	9. A changing spirit

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Nine:

A changing spirit

"Not good, not good, not fragging good!" Talra, or rather Tala as she was being called lately, yelled as she dodge the claws of a big...big, big, _big_ Rahi-thingy-mah-bobber. Scrambling in the snow the human formed Kora yelped as her footing gave way, unexpectedly saving her as she slid back the way she just came and between the legs of the now startled Rahi. Even as she thought 'what do I do?' reflexes Tala didn't know she had kicked in and she rolled backwards, avoided the lashing tail and half jumping, half running she took off to the lake.

The iced over lake that is, it was also away from the small group of Matoran...who had said that the iced over lake had _thin ice_. Tala was betting (praying) that with her being lighter than the Rahi-thingy-mah-bobber (oh! Muaka!) would mean that she could go farther out.

The thing that was huge, four legged and definitely feline like in body shape, like that of a big cat such as a tiger or cougar. Only thing was that this creature wasn't made of flesh and blood like a tiger or cougar, at least not that could be easily be seen. A type of metal half made up and half covered the beast, including two sizable tusk like fangs and some smaller but still relatively large (and sharp!) teeth.

It was also an apparently hungry Muaka.

"Dat's it! Over here! GEYEAH! ...missed me!" It probably wasn't the best of idea to taunt something that outweighed you by a ton or two, but taunting the Muaka kept its attention on Tala and not the group of five Matoran. "Dat's it, fallow me-ah! Claws! This was such a bad idea-what the hell am I doin'?"

The oldest of the Kora on the island dodged low and scrambled onto the frozen lake, hearing growling and the all too clear sound of something snapping of jaws behind her. The Muaka braced its hind legs and lunged forward, but luck was with the Kora. Well...if it was good luck or bad luck Tala was exactly sure seeing as she slipped on the thin layer of snow on the ice, thus forcing her to fall into the splits.

"Ow." Tala muttered, feeling tears of pain form at the corners of her eyes. This wasn't the first time she had done the splits, but it had been around two months, give or take. So it hurt, just a little, and Tala didn't quite move right as she tried to scramble away again.

The Muaka slipped awkwardly itself, one foot sinking through the ice but only to its claws, the resulting broken ice let Tala get the toe hold with her left foot and pushed off. She hopped awkwardly and then had as much traction as she was going to get. Tala had to skid and slide to stop once she thought she was out far enough, using instinct of someone who had went ice fishing all her life with her grandfathers. It would, hopefully, hold her weight. The Muaka growled softly as it slowly became aware of what it was standing on. Yet it could clearly see Tala walking out backwards farther out onto the lack making a 'come on' motion with both hands.

"Dat's it, come on ya big kitty-kitty... I know ya can see me. See? No armor, ya know ya want it..." Tala said, voice taking a more lyrical lilt not really cooing as if to a house cat. She just wanted to distract it. The large Rahi lowered its head in response, still growling as it started after the Kora one careful step at a time. Fallowing and watching intently, unlike Tala it's claws were giving it better traction, and it knew this fact.

Every other step backwards one of Tala's feet would slid a half inch or inch, her own eyes just as fixed on the Muaka. So she saw the tensing and yelping skated to the left, ducking low under far too large.

A clear and recognizable crack was heard behind the Kora at the same time she saw movement to her far right, white on white down the slope that led to the lake. No time to think about that seeing as the ice was _failing under her feet!_

"This was such a bad idea!" Tala yelled, feeling the ice start to give under her feet as her hurried plain not only succeeded but backfired at the same time. Acting on those same instincts from before as well as those that had been guiding Tala all her life, the Kora ducked low again and lunged forward onto her stomach spreading out her arms and legs to spread out her weight instead of letting it be centered in one spot. It was an old trick that her grandfathers' own many, many (many) great grandfathers had learned from the polar bears.

After a long, quiet few moments Tala cracked open an eye and then both, warily looking around and shuffling forward, still sliding forward on her front. Once confident of what was under her she rolled over onto her back and looked back to see a jagged opening with sloshing water and mix-matched chucks of ice.

Tala sighed, but at the same her relief fizzled into regret. Did the Muaka need to breath? The Matoran did and they were just as biomechanical as most of all the Rahi. Remembering the movement she saw Tala twisted around propping up on her elbows.

Kopaka was just stopping by the Matoran. Wait, where did he come from? When the Toa's gaze, a red optic and glowing blue and aqua eye, turned to her Tala gave a half smile before looking away back to the opening in the ice. Better safe than sorry, she flattened out and started to shuffle back to the shore.

There was an explosion of sorts, everything happed so fast that sound warped or delayed or _something_ because to wasn't _right_. The bright world, with the sun reflecting off of the snow was abruptly gone, replaced with biting, mind numbing pain that was so cold it burned.

The ice gave out!

But...but..._how?_

It sung like a wasp ten times over, all over, but Tala opened her eyes to see the Muaka clawing at the edges of the hole.

Despite hearing both her own voice of reason and the memory of her grandfather's voice repeating the words _don't panic- don't panic- do not panic_…! Tala panicked, for the first time in several years she truly panicked. An overwhelming fear were her heart seemed to contract in on itself and a tingling sensation spread throughout her body as Tala jerk. An uncontrolled blast of ice energy came from the young elemental as a result of the panic attack, freezing the Muaka with its upper body half out of the water as the elder spirit of ice slid onto the scene.

Deftly avoiding the thrashing Rahi, Kopaka stared a moment at the sealed over whole, not as pretty as before but it had a layer of solid ice now, thicker than before. The Toa was as surprised at this as much as the ice wasn't clear, but only for a moment. His Kanohi Akaku Nuva, the great mask of power that let him see through things like an portably x-ray, the mask started to glow giving it a faint aqua shade as it was activated with a mental command.

"Oh no," Kopaka was already moving as he spoke, hocking his wide shield on his back at the same time dropping down on his knees. He broke his weapon into two, slamming one blade as deep into the ice as his strength would let him.

By Mata Nui's witness, Kopaka had never lost a charge. Not to crazed shadow-driven Rahi, predators, avalanche, blizzard, Bohrok, _Bohrok Kal_ and certainly not now to his own element. Not to a mere arm's length of ice and water! That inward declaration didn't stop the Toa from seeing the human formed Kora stop moving as he worked to both absorb the ice as well as brake it away.

The scary thing, or one of them technically, wasn't so much the dim light under water that illuminated disturbed crystalline ice forms. Or the cold for that matter, it had by now numbed the feeling away. What was both the scariest thing and not, was that it was so...calm. A world of interact ice crystals hanging from above, the only sounds were the dulling double thumps of a human heart and the sharper cracks from above.

Tala had been here before, not in this lake on the island but back home. A long time ago when she was still just a kid, Tala remembered that time and it over lapped what she was seeing now. That was what made the Kora stop moving as she struggled with the lack of oxygen as well as dividing past from present.

Taru had saved her all those years ago, he broke thought the ice. No the ice was braking now- wait, what the?

The human formed Kora's heart stopped as a long white arm reached down, clawed fingers wrapping around the younger elemental. Kopaka pulled up, holding Tala with one arm against him and his blades joined over one shoulder he back up away from the new hole and stood from his half sprawl only when he was sure it was safe by reinforcing the ice.

"Tala?" Kopaka asked looking down at a cough.

"Oy…put me down." Tala choked out after coughing again, more than a little worried that she had to spit out water. When there was no vocal answer, not too surprising Tala found much to her annoyance that Kopaka was far from the talkative kind of persons, she twisted and almost bit a muscle cored. "Kopaka!"

A low growl came from within the Toa's chest as he knelt down, the Matoran group already coming over, whatever was about to be said was put on a back burner as Kopaka saw what was wrong. He kept one hand around the Kora, feeling that he was being a support, "Your skin..."

It was gray, not tanned.

But that wasn't what had Tala's attention, and the attention of the Matoran. Matoro stepped forward and reached out to touch something that Tala was. The translators looked up at Kopaka and turned the Kora around so the Toa could see the heart light that was pulsing in a steady, tri 'beat' rhythm.

"Cool…" Tala muttered staring at her new addiction.


	10. A Spirit That Learns

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Ten:

A Spirit That Learns

Matau's home was half dug into the great tree and half build out of it like a cabin. Most of the structures of Le-Koro was like this though there was some that stood alone or connected clusters of tree houses in the branches. There were winding boardwalks all over, connecting everything. Below were safety nets, many of them scattered in different levels and under most of all the bridges.

There were some cables, looking more like braided cords, in a few stations. They were connected to elevators of sorts that dropped down to the roots of these massive trees for those not so adept at scampering up bark and/or branches. Namely, visitors from the other villages of the island. There was one elevator that lifted higher up to another large structure that was both elaborate and simple at the same time.

If asked what that structure was, the asker would be informed with much amusement that it was Lewa's Kini. The temple of air where the Le-Matoran honored their guardian spirit, the element he represented as well as the Great Spirit. Lewa apparently had a smaller Suva as well that could be considered his home, but in all honestly the Toa of air rested just anywhere that was comfortable, not just in the Suva.

Although Lewa did keep some small treasures and offerings he favored at his Suva.

But, back to the home of Le-Koro's Turaga. It had several wide open windows to let the breeze in one side and out another. The inside proved to be more then big enough for several humans or Matoran (or Turaga as the case was sometimes) with some space over head. Yet no Tao would ever fit inside, maybe one of the smaller Kora once they were fully 'grown.'

The 'hut' also proved to be quite full, so to say, with the walls that had carvings in them as well painting of so many different things. There were also hand carving of the same things and more that were made of wood and stone. Some of those carving were a hybrid of both, as well as metal tools that gleamed in the dawn sunlight that crept in.

On one of the windowsills were charging light stones from the night before- Bionicle may have better eyes than humans, but Matau was a Turaga no matter how much he protested his age. Almost no space was wasted in his home, or left bare, even the ceiling! That had an assortment of weapons that were fixed up there. Those were referred to as 'Toa Tools' rather than weapons as they looked like.

Matau without his staff had an almost hopping, sideways gate as he walked around. Starting his far from set morning routine, no fire was made since even in the golden tinged light of the early morning it was already warmer than the night. It was going to be a hot day as it was in other words. He went over to poked his head out of the main door, a hide flap curled up like on the windows to, to look around at the village that was as alive in the day light as it was in the night.

Just like any other of the villages.

The Bionicle, the Matoran, didn't fallow day and night like on Earth, the full 'day' (sunrise to the next sunrise) was about 36 hours not 24. So, the Matoran worked until they were tired and then slept until they weren't. It was just that simple, like many true facts in life.

The aged Turaga hopped over to the cot he had put in to his hunt and rested his hand on the shoulder of the Kora that had been sleeping most of her rest periods here. Not that Matau minded it, it let him keep an eye on her, and there had not been a glimpse of the Makuta shadow sickness.

Lee stirred at the touch, lifted her head to blink bleary eyed at the Turaga who was grinning in his way, eyes squinting in a cretin way at the edges. The Kora hid her head under the light blanket that was used more for keeping bugs away than to keep warm.

Matau chuckled, "Come little Korasister, it is a goodfine morning."

"Mrphet?"

The Turaga shook his head, years of interpreting sleepy Matoran let him understand the mumbled worlds without a mask of translation, "Nooo, it is time to rise." He nudged the Kora enough to annoy and wake her up, but not to harm, "Toahero Lewa is to teach you of your element today."

Although there was the chance Toa Lewa was asleep in his Suva or out in the jungle as well. The spirit of air had been in the village for nearly three days, awake the whole time. Toa could go much longer than Matoran without the need for sleep, Matau knew this all too well. Today was the day that the Kora was to learn more of the element she shared with the elder Toa, even if Matau had to go up to the Suva to poke Lewa in the head with his staff until the guardian woke up.

That was surprisingly affective.

Matau had learned of that trick from Vakama actually, and later one found it also worked on Pohatu.

Right now though, the Turaga was herding the wavering Kora out of his hut with shooing motions and into the capable care of one of the Le-Koro pilots. "Thank you Kernchild."

"Kern?" Lee echoed the name, perking up some as she actually looked around for her first and thus far best friend in this world.

"Here Korasister," The pilot reached out, not just tolerating the affectionate hug he received in lue of a 'good morning,' but wrapped his arms around the young Kora and spun her around.

Turaga Matau leaded against the door frame of his home and watched as the children left to hunt down a morning meal, and probably Kern giving in to give Lee another ride on the Matoran's Gakko stead. Most of all Matoran were children to his eyes now thanks to what he had become for a time, and his age.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

If there was one nice thing about being small, it was you could get free back rides!

It helped immensely when the Matoran you're clinging to was the big brother type. Lee hugged Kern's neck from behind in silent thanks for said ride, ear pressed against a neck cable that pulsed with the tri-rhythm of the Bionicle 'heart beat.'

She had always been affectionate all her life, even before coming back to her native world. As the youngest of the Kora, Lee had the clearest memories of the Toa Hanu, the guardians that stood on the other side of the seal to keep the words apart. So Lee remembered Nanu, and the others, Lee had told Matau about them and Lewa who was very interested in hearing about other Toa.

Right now though, Lee was dozing lightly in the morning sun as she got a free ride, "Kren?"

"Yes Korasister?" The pilot asked, trying his best to look at the human formed Kora. Unable to see her, the Matoran just reached up and playfully pulled Lee over his should and in a moment had the giggling girl cradled in his arms. She was no bigger than an average Ga-Matoran like this, so she was no burden to someone who had to wrestle with Gacko birds, "There!"

"Are we going to see your Maki?" Lee asked, for the moment content to stay where she was as she looked around.

"Not this time," Kren reminded, jerking his chin up in one quick movement to indicate the temple of air just above the tree bound village, "Toahero Lewa is waiting up in the Kini, Korasister." He grinned at the 'oh right' expression on the Kora.

Lee twisted in the Matoran's grip and landed lightly on her bare feet once she was let go. Now fully awake the young Kora gave Kern a cheeky grin before taking off in a run down the boardwalk. In an instant the pilot was after, like any Le-Matoran Kren was not only fast but quick to any game. Races were one of the tall Matoran's favorite game, grated even with the Kora's own enhanced speed he would easily beat her, but this was just for fun.

The tree-house village had as many ladders made of vines as there were boardwalks. Le-Koro had many safety nets for anyone who lost their balance, if there was any attackers a quick jump to the nets and slid to the truck of the one or the other two trees to carved in escape tunnels. After the Bohrok and Bohrok Kal, there was many hidden ways to get to safety if the Village was compromised. The safety nets also had a double use for the heart stopping spot of net diving.

There weren't ladders at the top of the village to the, relatively, small air Kini. The two had to climb up a webbing of vines that wasn't a proper netting in any shape. Just vines hanging down to climbing up the bark. As long as one only gripped the vines against the bark you were sure to have a good hand and foot holds.

The section of the tree Lee and Kren were on vibrated, the vines shuttering and a large shadow encompassed both. Heads craned back to look up into the bright eyes and grinning, masked face of the Toa of air. "Toa!" two voices said in unison.

Lewa shifted twin swords flipped and locked on his forearms, he moved so he was no longer in the landing half glomp of the tree. The claws on his right hand dug in deep, bracing with his feet he grasped first Kren in his now free hand, lifting the Matoran up to the Kini and than his Kora sister. "Highgood greetings little ones." Lewa said as he pulled himself up, half in with feet now braised in new stops, his arms folded over the open edge of the Kini. "Korasister ready to quick-quicklean?"

"Yes brother!" Lee nodded, all but bouncing on the balls of her feet, unconcerned about breakfast since there was fruits and other edible planets all over this supersized rainforest. She paused, "Can Kren come?"

The Toa tilted his head at his Matoran charge, and when he saw the nod from Kren, he would like to come as well, Lewa held out a hand, palm up in welcome. A moment later Kren was climbing up over the guardian's shoulder to that spot between the shoulders, where the Matoran normally liked to stay since they could both brace their feet and grasp the back of the Toa's collar ridge to hang on. "Come sister, time to windfly on your own."

Lee paused even as she was picked up, "Wait, on my—eeee! Lewa wait!"

Too late.

The Kora was already in the open air, _on her own_. One thing air spirits all have in common when learning the art of gliding and then true flight was a simple thing: heights. It was needed for the longer the fall the more time you had to call on the element all around them. Lee had one advantage over the other Kora on the island. She thrust her hands out in front of her aiming down, as the youngest, with the clearest memories she remembered what she had already learned from Toa Nanu.

Lewa was right there, laughing softly even though he knew it was a bit mean what he'd done, but the fastest way to tap into elemental energy was a freefall. He didn't remember much before waking and rebuilding himself on the island of Mata Nui, but he did remember his own first and critical fall that sparked his control of the very air.

The day was very interesting to say the least.


	11. A spirit that thrives

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Eleven:

A spirit that thrives

There was some things that hardly surprised Turaga Whenua, such as the annual explosion that came almost exactly the same time every eight-day 'week' from Nuparu's work shop. Or the times when he had to sidestep or jump backwards, using his staff to keep his aid or the young Onu-Matoran from being ran over by a trundle or crab race. Those were just some of the odd things that had become familiar, routine and even 'normal' in a twisted way in the underground village over the years.

Seeing Takua the Chronicler riding into Onu-Koro on his Rahi mount; or as the case was this time the Ta-Matoran was _bouncing_ ahead of his crab into the village of earth. In that kind of barely contained energy he had whenever he was let loose on the island by Vakama the first time in a long time. Whenua personally though his fire brother just politely kicked the Chronicler out whenever he started to get annoyed with consent pestering for more stories. He knew Onewa did, and Nuju did too.

Yes, seeing Takua randomly show up was no big surprise, especially with the arrival of the Kora. What was a little surprising was that it took thing long before the Chronicler to show up, yet that wasn't what was the most shocking thing that happened with the Ta-Matoran's entrance this time.

Takua had taken all of five bounces into the massive, main cavern that made up Onu-Koro when a large glowing ball was introduced to his head. The Matoran gave a strangled squawk/squeak like sound as he toppled over backwards.

"_Mata Nui! The rouge Khi-ball just hit someone-It's the Chronicler! Quick!_" An announcer's heightened voice sounded a bit louder than normal to Takua as he stared up at the darkness, filled with thousands of glittering crystals that were made to make the 'sky' pretty. "_Is he okay?_"

"...ow..." Takua muttered going cross-eyed, aware of Pewku sculling around him in a worried cercal, as well as several sets of thumping feet. Including one set that even in Takua's dazed state knew by the sheer weight behind the ground shaking sound was the Toa of earth.

"Chronicler?" a deep, rumbling voice asked, "Shoo Pewku, out of my way. Where- ah, here."

"Oooowww…" Takua complained as he was lifted up and clung onto the armor just to his right and squinted around before jerking as he realized he didn't have his mask on.

"Here little one," Onua said after shaking most of the glowing stuff off the blue Kanohi Pakari, it would glow in the dark for a few weeks but that was okay. The glowing substance was harmless to Bionicle. The earth giant gently fitted the Kanohi back onto Takua's face, grinning down at him. "Are you alright Chronicler?"

Takua made a face, now sure where he was he let go and adjusted his mask just right again, "That hurt." He muttered, his good mode of two minutes before half fizzled up.

"It was a good throw," The Toa said as he set the Ta-Matoran down, hand hovering close to catch him just in case Takua didn't have his balance. He watched the Ta-Matoran shake his head and motioned for his Rahi, and she shuttled back over.

Pewku dipped her front down, so the edge of her broad shell was easy to get over, even helping push her master up onto her back. The Rahi gave a soft sound as Takua plotted down, still looking a bit dazed. "Why am I glowing? Why are _you_ glowing Toa Onua? ...in three colors...?" Yep, as Takua took a better look and the normally black and dark grey giant was near covered in splotches of glow in the dark liquid of blue, green and pink.

"There is a Khi game going on Chronicler." Turaga Whenua said as he came up to them, waving the clouding Matoran away, but it wasn't needed for they were already making room for the elder. Not seeming to notice his left side was blue and green and the top of his mask was pink, Whenua patted the Rahi-crab's head in then silent command to lay down. Takua scooted closer to let the elder inspect his mask, head and neck cables for damage.

"Is the Chronicler okay?"

"We did not hurt him did we?"

"I am so sorry Takua! I was trying to hit Kima, not you!"

"...Takua you look like a Le-Matoran with your Kanohi bright green!" That was Nuparu as he let out a laugh, only after assuring himself his friend was alright.

"Hush Nuparu," A new voice that Takua never heard before said. For one thing it was female, and there weren't many Ga-Matoran in Onu-Koro right now, and the voice lacked that slight mechanical sound. Nuparu was pushed aside and a he lifted a pink and blue arm to let a slender figure duck under and in front of him.

The Turaga lifted an eye ridge as he watched the short Ta-Matoran perk up upon spotting his village's Kora, even though she was as covered in glow in dark substance as everyone seemed to be. Only with her being, or seemingly being fully organic the Kora seemed a bit more soaked, her long hair (streaked with all three colors) knotted into a hasty bun yet plastered down and the t-shirt and short-shorts tie-died blue and green with few flecks of pick.

Kara was barefoot, not that she'd had much of a choice in the matter but she wasn't sure if any foot ware would protect one for a clumsy Matoran. Under the 'paint' she was as grey skinned as Takua's native fire Kora as he would find out a bit later. Blue and green eyes- proper colored Bionicle eyes with blue ring and a green backdrop and centers.

"I do believe our dear Chronicle is just fine," Turaga Whenua pronounced, patting Takua's knee, "Just not jumping around for the rest of the night, and," The elder looked around at his glow in the dark people, grinning Matoran, baffled Rahi, amused elder elemental spirit and slightly baffled younger spirit. Whenua waved at one and all, "I do believe it is time to retire for us all."

There was a collective, "Awwww…!" form the crowd in protest.

"I do however," Whenua continued, peering up at the now smirking Onua next, and the mass of Matoran quieted to hear his words that seemed to hinged on whatever this 'Khi' was, "I do see quite a bit more... _blue_ all around."

Takua blinked as a third of the Onu-Matoran erupted into cheers, waving glowing blue spheres over their heads or throwing them up into the air to splatter more of the blue 'paint' on everyone. He turned his red and orange eyes to Nuparu, but his was slapping a pink colored hand to his mask, leaving a blight cheery print there. Actually, now that Takua took a good look around as the crowd dispersed he saw that he could sort out the 'teams' by the colors on someone's hands. Like Nuparu's hands were covered in pink like the Kora. Onua seemed to be a free for all target for all, as well as using whatever colored ball he could get.

"Come on Takua," Nuparu was saying as he climbed up on Pewku's back, pausing to give her eye ridges a good scratch, "You can stay with me."

"What about...?" Takua turned on his Rahi's shell to look back at the Kora, watching her ring out her hair and laugh at something said by another Onu-Matoran.

"Oh, you will meet Kara in a bit, she always comes by my workshop in the evenings." Nuparu waved a hand, splattering droplets of pick around Pewku's shell along the other two colors dripping off his armor. "Besides, she's staying in Toa Onua's Kini."

"Really? Hey, what just happened?" The Chronicler pointed at his bright green mask and upper body, "What is this 'Khi?'"

"Khi is a game that Kima, Gori and I came up with a while ago!" Nuparu puffed up as much as in pride at his contribution to the hit game as well that he had evidently spent a lot of time with the two Ga-Matoran.

Takua lifted an eye ridge as he looked up at his taller friend, it was pretty easy for his friends to be taller than him really. The Chronicler was as tall as the average Ga- and Ko-Matoran. Takua took aim and poked Nuparu's side, making him deflate in a wheeze of air, "The point of the game? Is it like Kolii?"

"Not really," The inventor rubbed at his side, "The goal is to spatter the other teams with your team's color, not to score goals." Nuparu saw the interest in his friend and grinned as he hopped off Pewku since they had arrived at his large home and workshop, "When this stuff wares off you have to come back Takua! You can be my second!"

"I thought I was your second Nuparu." The two Matoran turned and looked up at the tie-died Kora who was smiling softly up at the inventor, and that was when Takua realized that Kara was his height.

"You were my second," Nuparu said without hesitation, "But you promised to be the wild target with Onua next time so I need another second." He draped an arm over Takua's shoulders, sharing more paint, "Oh! Kora, this is Takua the Chronicler. Takua, this is Kora Kara."

"Its and honor to meet you Kora," Takua bowed, then made a humming sound that was the Bionicle equivalent of a blush as Kara bowed back.

"I hope I can hear some of your stories Chronicler," Kara said, she had a soft voice normally but she was still breathing hard from the game that just got over, "I have to go, this stuff is starting to set in." Kara ruefully lifted a clump of her hair that was the same bright green as Takua's mask and now loose. "Good night Chronicler, Nuparu."

"Um...good night?" Takaua muttered watching the Kora run off after the massive- and glowing!- form of the Toa.

Kara reached up and, hoping the paint wouldn't make it too difficult, grabbed onto Onua's armored leg and pulled herself up. She deftly climbed up until she was sitting behind Onua's neck, arms folded over his Kanohi, "You my brother, are a walking fashion disaster."

The Toa chuckled, the should felt as much as herd by the Kora, "Oh?" He asked, reaching up a little out of reflex, he was aware of Kara flicking the thickening paint off the top of his mask as it finally started to dry.

"Pink is not you color." Kara said after a moment of thought, "Not at all."

"That did not stop you little earth sister, from throwing it at me." Onua pointed out.

"No," Kara agreed, "It didn't, but you dropped all that blue on me and Kima." She paused, looking around, "Where are we going? This isn't the way to the Kini."

"We are going to take a bath, then go rest." Onua said, heading to one of the underground rivers his villagers had long sensed learned to use. He knew the 'paint' wouldn't harm the echo system since it was made from bioluminescent moss and algae found in and near water in the first place. If anything it would just make the slow moving river bright, which was a good thing since it would be the bottom of the river that glowed.

"Onua?"

"Yes sister?" Onua glanced up out of habit even though he couldn't see his Kora where she was.

"Turaga Whenua said we'll be going to the Kini Nui in not too long of a time right?" Kara asked as she stifled a yawn, internally grumbling (unknowingly just like all the other Kora had or will) about the longer 'days' on the island of Mata Nui.

"Yes, we will be." Onua reached up to get his Kora off, smiling at some of the Matoran that had the same idea as he and were already splashing around and turning the water different colors. Kara scrambled over one of his shoulders and paused before jumping in, eyeing her semi long hair before looking back up into the elder elemental's bright eyes.

"...are we still going to be glowing in the dark by then?"Kara asked warily.

The Toa laughed, "I think we will little sister. Just reminded me to splatter Tahu and I will be fine."


	12. A wandering spirit

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Twelve:

A wandering spirit

Takua was happy, to put it lightly. Currently his masked face was tilted up so that he could get a sunbeam in full. The general, uneasy wariness that always gripped the Chronicler after a prolonged trip to Onu-Wahi and the Koro itself all melted and drained away.

Sunlight, or any light but mostly the light of the sun always made Takua feel better. Not just from a trip into Onu-Wahi but the light improved his mood as well...not that was in need of improving much right this instant. Takua was _still_ grinning like an insane le-Matoran that just learned he was immune to gravity for a minute.

The reason for the beaming, happy out of his mask Chronicler was that on leaving Onu-Koro after his five day stay (that included some good healthy investigating, running around screaming in another glow in the dark paint ball match, and time spent with Toa and Kora of earth) he had gotten an unexpected kiss from Kara. He could still feel how she'd pressed her head to his mask and was once again humming in blush.

It wasn't often one got a kiss from a Toa, and only then Gali and Lewa- sometimes Pohatu- were pretty much the only ones to give open displays of affection. According to the Turaga, mostly Whenua who was more than happy to lecture on the subject and explained that Kora (or 'Koa' as what they were originally called but the term became 'Kora' to fizzle out some confusion) were a lesser Toa. Thus the whole 'younger elemental' thing.

But Takua wasn't thinking much about this at the moment, for Kora and Toa were one and the same as his thoughts primarily circled around 'I got a kiss…!' Takua loved being the Chronicler, he really did.

Soon the Ta-Matoran's mount slowed as the crab came to a cross roads camp. The scattered trees framing an area that wasn't quite a clearing as in a bare path of earth surrounded by trees in the cliché imagery. This place was where a party could camp on the way between the villages and be safe. There were trees around on this slight hill yes, but replanted so that those from the inside ring of the low wall that surrounded the camp site could get a clear view of what was around. The trees were also replanted in a way that would provide a fast escape viva the branches above.

The sky was a rich vibrant blue, the day was warm yet there was a cool, constant wind coming from one direction or another. There was a dark smug to the far south that was an active volcano or two, Takua knew by memory and sense of fire elemental energy that was repent in Ta-Wahi. Other than that, there were a few wisps of clouds to the northwest, towards Po-Wahi.

Takua rapped Pewku's shell in the 'stop' command. Shacking fully out of the daze from before, he stood up and looked at the four clear paths around him. One path, going south lead back to Ta-Koro, and Takua wasn't ready to go home. The northwest one was Po-Koro, and though it was temping…west was the winding path that would follow the boarder of Le- and Ko-Wahi before going up to the village of ice.

After all of 20.4 seconds, the Chronicler was urging his mount to the village of water with a grin on his face. The near drowning from insisted swimming lessons would _so_ be worth the attention of the Ga-Matoran.

Water was a large part of this region, wetlands, lakes, streams and rivers wove and poked through the land. But then that's why it was called a wet land, the water region. Trees though tall (standing between one and four stories) weren't nearly the sky-scraper sized things in Le-Wahi yet had many brightly colored flowers. Plump, juicy fruit swayed and dangled from most all branches in this season, and Takua stopped a few times to climb up and get some for both himself and for his Rahi.

Bushes and shrubs of all kinds littered the ground, some had flowers themselves and others had ripe (as well as not so ripe) green, red and blue colored berries. Despite all that there somehow were still safe, and dry, places to travel. The twisting and crossing paths were confusing to anyone that didn't know where to go. Thankfully the Chronicler had been to Ga-Wahi, as well as all the other Wahis as many if not more times then the Toa.

Takua knew where he was going in other words.

It also helped that the two major structures the stood above the trees and land, one towering over the other by three times or more. The Kini Nui and Ga-Kini, the temple of Mata Nue and the smaller temple honoring both the element of water as well as the living elemental Gali. Both temples weren't exactly similar in design, the Ga-Kini not as grand but just as old. This was where Takua was heading, from there he could get to the Koro and still be (mostly) dry.

If there was one thing about Ga-Koro that totally set the village apart from every other Koro was that there were no signs of habitations at first glance, of by the fifth glance until suddenly you were at the village gates. The 'huts' were so well hidden from sight. The village proper was also well protected behind thick walls of tree logs, natural cliffs, over hangs, all equally camouflaged as the huts, boats and storage areas.

Takua, munching hurriedly on the rest of his purple pare shaped fruit, looked up at the high gates. A shiver worked its way down his person as he saw the scars in the wood from Bohrok attacks, the deeper gorges had been well patched and reinforced, some logs had been shipped around the island from Le-Wahi to replace some whole chunks. The day's light would all but blind…well it would have blinded even a Toa looking at the top of the gates, yet Takua had no problem seeing the blue masked faces peering down at him.

"Hiiii!" Takua yelled, hopping up on Pewku and waving his arms, "May the Chronicler come into the Koro?" he added, of coarse modifying the traditional call of 'So-and-so approaches!' with a name or title.

"Takua!" no less than five female voices called back down. "Get up to the platform, we'll open the gates!" another added.

The Chronicler urged Pewku up to higher ridge of stone to a platform that would be around hip height to Toa Gali. Only once Takua called out again that he and Pewku were safe did the massive gates to Ga-Koro opened. One 'door' swung inward while the other one came outward.

Water surged out like a flash flood before the inner swinging door blocked the on flow. It was a cleaver defense really, only those inside the walls could control the door that blocked or let the river free flow. No one trying to pry open the gates on the outside would be able to withstand the on slot of H2O before being quite literally washed away.

After it was a safe, the exes water flowing out the spillover stream, a bridge was lifted up and Pewku scuttled across with all do hast, giving a soft trill like sound that could be a sigh as they were safely inside the village.

Takua hopped off and bounced over to hug the nearest Ga-Matoran that came to greet the Chronicler, "Hahli! You're on your feet again!"

* * *

Queen's note: Because Takua needs love


	13. A spirit that moves

**Kora: Mata Nui**

Chapter Thirteen:

A spirit that moves

"Wow." Jala stared down there at the lava flow from his position up on the outer, main defensive wall of Ta-Koro. Or rather, he was watching the large figure surfing _on_ the lava as well as the smaller figure clinging to the Toa's back screaming as loud as she could about something that included amputation.

"I didn't know anyone could hit that pitch." Takua's voice said before the Chronicler ducked under taller Jala's arm for a better look at what was happening, sometimes he disliked being one of if not the shortest Ta-Matoran.

"Being female may help in that regard Takua." Kapura commented, standing behind the other two, having come up to the Caption with the Chronicler just a moment ago. The black and dark red Matoran was well able to look over their heads, and just about any other Matoran's head, to watch as well. Kapura shifted, bracing himself and smiling as he let Takua climb up his side and perched up on his shoulders.

All three Ta-Matoran watched their Toa introduce their Kora to more than just the _concept_ of lava surfing. Every minute or so one, or all, would wince as the caught a (rude) word or two that they could understand, most of what Storm was yelling (screaming) was in one of her two native languages. The Kora was doing a wonderful impression of a boi-leach on Tahu's head and shoulders according to Takua's opinion and experience, the only one of the three to spend a lot of time in the Ga and Le Wahi zones.

"Is this Kora Storm's first time lava surfing?" The Chronicler asked after a while tilting his blue Kanohi, he had gotten back from his trip to Le- Onu- and Ga-Koro.

"Yep." Jala attempted to repressed a smiled as he remembered the scene not twenty minutes before. Of the Toa 'convincing' the younger fire spirit to come with him. Mostly it had been Tahu picking Storm up, half tossing his Kora on his back- the spot she and the Matoran on a whole favored for free rides. Before Storm could ask where they were going, Tahu had jumped up to and then off the other side of the Ta-Koro outer wall.

Since then, Storm had been making full use of her knowledge of three different languages, plus a Toa sub-dialects that was programmed in and recently popped up. Including some things she'd learned from Tahu himself as he took his fire-sister on a tour of first the lava fiends and then later planned to go through his favorite, half underground lava tubes and passages.

"I believe you all," Turaga Vakama's voice drew the attention of the line of Ta-Koro Guards (and one wanderer) that had been watching the show and all turned to look at their elder. Nine masked faces had the same expression that said something like 'I've just been caught with my hand in the sweet berry bowl!'

Once he was sure he had the Matoran's attention, if a bit shocked, the Turaga made a sound not unlike one clearing their throat, "Have things to do rather than stand there leaving the gates unguarded." He finished.

There was a predictable scramble as the nine Ta-Matoran suddenly remembered all at once they had things to do. No one could give a scolding like Turaga Vakama could without sounding like it at first. The elder's orange on red eyes narrowed at the edges in that way that said he was smiling as he waved at Takua over, wanting to hear of his earth brother and what the Chronicler had to say about the other Kora he met on his journey to the other villages.

Before fallowing Vakama turned partly to watch his people's living elemental spirits, their guardians and protections. Vakama's eyes widen at the argument and yelled words that were flung back and forth between the Toa and Kora of fire. The elder face-palmed and sighed before hobbling off to the Chronicler's home, listening to him as Takua excitedly told of how he met three other Kora.

Elsewhere the local Toa smiled to himself at the tone of his younger sister, then frowned as he sensed something he really didn't want to deal with right now. The volcano under and around them, the thing that ate up the rock only to rebirth it as the semi-liquid lava flows and raining ash was churning its insides deep within the heart of the great volcano. Tahu glanced over his shoulder as the first signs of one of the larger lava waves started to show, an over flow from deep below.

"Hang on sister!" The elemental warned as he shifted his stance on the joined swords that doubled as Tahu lava-bored.

"I AM!" Storm paused, no longer on Tahu's head but still hanging onto his shoulders, "Why?" she asked eyeing the back of the Toa's head.

"We're going to have a flood and go off the falls." Tahu replayed in oddly calm, and matter of fact tone. Unusual for the Toa who's tones were filled with passion in one form or another. Like his inner fires always changing in intensity with his moods.

"Oh." The Kora blinked a few times, half sliding into that position on the Toa's back that seemed to have Matoran sized hold build into the armor. She dared to peek around the red colored bulk that was Tahu after a moment and saw the 'falls' that he was talking about. "Ohmygod! No! Ta-HUUU!" Storm re-glomped her brother with all the force of a Onu-Matoran as they were launched into the air once more. She squeaked as she belatedly sensed what the elder of the two fire spirits already did, building and rolling behind them like so many charging Rahi.

Magma and molten rock gushed out of the tunnel they just fled and added to what was already falling.

"Badday! Badday! Badday!" Somewhere in the back of her mind, Storm noted that she must have spent too much time with her cosine and best friend, she was picking up on some of the things she would say.

"Storm, stay on my back!" The Toa said flipping to get his swords in both hands before doping into a free fall to let his sister scramble to readjusted her grip on the dark grey and red armor. Everything narrowed down to the here and now. Tahu was focused only on what he was doing, no other thought outside this pocket in time and space, gathering energy to activate his Kanohi Hau Nuva, the grate mask of shielding, as soon as he attached his person to the nearest wall of rock with his twin swords.

The younger Kora looked up after Tahu had slid to a stop, and watched in a horrified fascination as the glowing molten rock bursting from the tunnel in a spectacle display of nature's wrath, the metaphorical pulsing blood of the Mangai volcano. The lava lit up the dim underground magma 'cross road' area they were in, one of several.

Time seemed to slow as the magma ark down in the air and made its way to where Toa and Kora where. It was so completely beautiful in a raw, terrifying sort of way. Storm could feel the heat, the liquid fire above and in her. She was sure Tahu did too as he seemed to grow, becoming larger and more powerful as part of his element came plummeting at them like a runaway bullet-train. It was like he was absorbing it all to be added to his already powerful, inner inferno.

With a near start the younger fire spirit realized that that _was_ what was happing, and not just to Tahu but to the Kora herself as well, only on a smaller scale since she was obviously not a Nuva. Storm could feel herself getting stronger in the blazing heat that would have already killed a true human several times over, and the after affects of the Makuta's sickness was fading away.

Then time realized that it should go back to its normal pace, and the lava streaked towards the two. Just when it seemed that they were in essence and maybe literally going to be toast, Tahu activated his mask's power.

Tahu wasn't the only one to relish in the feeling of his element surging past him on all sides. His smiled when he heard Storm yell in a triumph behind him, no fear was in her voice this time as she shook with adrenaline.

It was a full five minutes later when Tahu dropped down on a carved path way used for those who had to hike back up to the Koro after lava-surfing. He turned as he felt the Kora shift, let go and dropped down, Tahu arched up an eye ridge as he spotted the glow of Storm's now reviled heart-light, as well as the change in color of her skin. A proper dark gray in Tahu's opinion instead of that odd pinkish shade.

"You. Are. Horrid." Storm said after staring into Tahu's tri-colored gaze, unaware of the changes that happened as well as those she and the other Kora were about to explode into.

Tahu smirked as he crossed his arms, "Thank you."


	14. A spirit that is alert

Kora: Mata Nui

Chapter Fourteen:

A spirit

"Holy-" The Kora of stone said a very bad word in a Toa sub dialect that, thankfully, the Matoran didn't know. They could guess since Turaga Onewa had said the same thing several times over the years, a few even herd Tahu bark it out once or twice.

Currently she was bouncing on one foot, muttering under her breath until she caught sight of three other humans... no, Kora. The three were across a clearing from where Telem had stubbed her bare toes, on Hewkii metal foot, and in one of the many bodies of water of this Wahi. They were evidently having the time of their lives as well as being in a full fledged water fight. It was pointless fun, and by the time Telem got nearer with her group a few Ga-Matoran and a male Matoran with a blue Kanohi but red coloration in the body had leapt in the hip-high stream and the water fight had become more of a water war.

Watching over the enthusiastic splashing was the keen copper and yellow gaze of a being Telem knew at once was another Toa. She wasn't nearly as tall or as big in mass than Pohatu, but still taller than the Matoran and Kora, and had a different kind of grace to her slender frame. The Toa of water, for that who Telem was guessing she was not just by the blue and silver armor but the matching descriptions from the Kora's stone brother as well as the Matoran.

Telem's gaze shifted away from the water-war as she spotted movement from the corner of her eye. Turning the young stone elemental smiled as she recognized the brown skinned Kora that she was only a few months older than, "Storm!"

The twenty year old (going be the looks and 'age' of the human disguise) looked up from her intended target, just managing to hide the clear water ball in her hand, before Tahu turned around. Storm was crouched on a ledge of the Great Temple's side, and when she saw Telem, the fire elemental's grin widen, altering from 'I'm going to get into _so_ much trouble!' to 'I know you!'

"Rocky!"

_Splat!_

"Oy!"

Pohatu and Tahu both gave an impressive synchronized snort, the two elder spirits watching as the two oldest Kora basically moved to tackle each other. Storm sliding down the curved wall of the Kini Nui and Telem hopping over, at the same time the other three Kora were wading over to great Telem as well. It had been a while side coming to Mata Nui and a tad longer since they had seen each other.

The Toa moved too, Pohatu thumped his closed fist against Tahu's, "Brother!" The stone Toa laughed, "It's been too long. And you own me a game."

Tahu chuckled, "That I do brother." He agreed, clapping Pohatu's arm before stepping back a little.

"Don't think I forgot about those widgets either."

"Frag it."

Gali rolled her multi-colored eyes at her bothers before the water elemental was enveloped into a powerful hug. She smiled and wrapped her arms around Pohatu's middle as much as she could, the taller Toa's permanently hunched form added to the 'I'll protect you' feeling of his hug. Gali had long since accepted that her two oldest brother Toa would almost always embrace her if they could, it just seemed engrained into Pohatu and Onua. Not that she minded, besides technically Gali was the second youngest of the Nuva.

"It's good to see you as well Ga-gi." Pohatu said, putting Gali back down on her feet, "But you're as bad about visiting as Tahu and Kopaka!" The stone giant paused, doing a head count on Kora and Turaga, "Hmm... mentioning that, where are...?"

"Onua is in the Kini resting," Tahu said as he motioned to his left and slightly behind, "And our Le-tu is hunting at the moment for an evening meal." Mostly the food would be for the Matoran, elders and the younger elementals, who were still growling back into their true Bionicle bodies. And thus like any 'teenager' were near bottomless pits. Tahu shook his head at that thought, he had been hunting himself almost twice as much as before and guessed it was the same with his brothers.

"Kopaka, Turaga Nuju and their group have yet to arrive." Gali added as she walked to one side, she had hold of a red and tan hand to get the other two Toa to move out of the way of the knee-high Matoran that rushed passed in a Kholii like game.

Tahu gave another snort, "Surprising since he is the one who insists on always being 'on time.'"

"Many things can happen on a trip of any length brother." The waiter spirit chastised with a small frown.

"Besides," Pohatu smirked as he flopped gracelessly onto the ground, making a small tremor that got a few yelps. He gave the nearer Ga-Matoran an apologetic look as he continued, "I heard from some of the traders in Po-Koro that Ko-tu has both hands full with our new Kora of ice."

Tahu shook his head, shifting his stance to keep facing the other two as Gali folded her legs under her and sit in the sun beside Pohatu. The fire elemental crossed his arms over his chest, under his orange shaded heartlight, "All the Kora are going to be-" The red a brown male didn't get to finish he prediction as a water ball impacted the back of his head, Tahu making a surprised sound that was partly a grunt.

Behind him was a scramble and more than a few giggles from Matoran and Kora alike.

There was a beat paused before several things happened at once.

Pohatu burst out laughing, a few Turaga doing so as well. Gali lifted a hand as if trying not to burst into giggles herself like several of her villagers were- but honestly the look and Tahu face...!

The fire Toa let his internal temp rise, spiking a moment to let the water evaporate. He spun around with a growl, and then let out a mock roar after the fleeing Ta- Le- and Po- Kora. Tahu loped off after the guilty younger spirits and Matoran, grinning. However neither he nor the other Toa saw the sharp looks and sudden alertness that came from the Turaga as they watched the chaise begin.

Vakama had to take a deep calming breath along with Matau and Onewa, easing the grip on his staff. The red elder exchanged looks with his brothers, silently confirming with the other Turaga that they too had seen that flash of 'killing fangs' that all Bionicle had. Though for most, mainly the Matoran, those hits of what the Bionicle evolved from stayed small and folded up on the roof of the mouth. Useless to a point for the modern Matoran.

But in this moment, for the elders see that blatant reminder that Toa _did_ have sizeable fangs- and in turn found use for them, but more as a last as a last ditch effort. However, the combination of fangs and that roar, Tahu unknowingly hitting that 'right' tone to make a pure sound that was a throwback to his Hordika ancestors.

It brought to mind more than a few memories to the six elders of the island. Not all of those scenes of the past times were the best of things to see re-playing in one's mind's eye.

Turaga Whenua shifted in his spot, sitting in the shade cast from the Kini Nui. He was tilting his head and using his tongue to feel what was left of his own broken fangs. The elder sighed and shook his head, turning his attention to watching the Kora evade the bigger Tahu. For him at least, listening to the joy of the present peace lulled away the pain of his past.

"Only one element remains," Nokama spoke, to break any self created spells.

"Yes," Vakama nodded, "Nuju should be here soon, if not in the temple already knowing him."

"Would be like him." Onewa gave a snort as he along with Vakama helped Matau with his bad hip to stand up again.

Whenua chuckled softly as he walked beside Nokama, his shoulder just brushing hers to help him find his way in the glare of the sun as the elders made their way around the curved of the temple to the nearest entrance, "Indeed it would be," He agreed, "but we should ready ourselves for the no doubt endless questions that will be put to us."

The Turaga of fire hummed softly in thought, "I wish we could answer even most of them." Vakama glanced around to be sure the closest Matoran (and Toa) where distracted, "We only have the stories of old that Whenua saved from the Archives."

Several shrieks came from behind, along with Tahu's yelp, and the Turaga spun around to see most of those who had been playing in the water where evacuating the pool in a hurry. Tahu had been knee deep, getting ready to throw his fire sister and water brother into deeper water, the two Kora clinging to his arms to keep from going in the suddenly much cooler water.

Onewa's multi colored eyes landed on the new young elemental that was grinning. At the same time the large pale form of Kopaka came out of the greenery in front of the Ko-Koro contingent, the Nuva of ice looked over at what could only be his Kora. As he blinked and took in what was happening- Tahu with the two clinging awkwardly to him as he high-stepped out of the water wincing at the cold, Onewa could have sworn he saw a faint smile.

"ToaBrothers!" A light male voice called, a gust of wind proceeding the air Toa. Lewa flipped before landing, hocking his blades to his forearms as he did so. The glow of his Kanohi faded as the green and tan Toa landed, trotting over closer, shooing the gathered Matoran into the Kini Nui, "Brothers, you must fallow me everquick. Wiseold Turaga please getfetch Onua."

Lewa turned not waiting as he used his long legs to go back the way he came in but on the ground this time. Kopaka didn't hesitate, moving alarmingly slight as he fallowed his air brother. Gali gracefully rose with Pohatu heaving himself up, at the same time Tahu had to shrug off his clinger-ons.

"Brother?" Gali called after.

"Softhush Ga-gi," Lewa said motioning for the Toa not to ask as they were still in hearing range of the Matoran as he vanished into the Ga-Wahi forested wetlands. That instantly had the full attention of the other Nuva.

What would have Lewa worried that much?


	15. A growing spirit

Kora: Mata Nui

Chapter Fifteen:

A growing spirit

"Kharzani..." Tahu muttered as he looked down at the struggling Rahi creature, Lewa had tangled the creature neatly and securely in a hastily constructed vine-net before fetching his brothers. The fire Toa glanced to his left at the second Rahi, a still and limp Corbrii that was the result of his air-brother's earlier hunt. It was a common grazing beast that had more flesh then metal, and was the equivalent of the bison on earth... only with six legs, three horns on the head and a sail down the back and tail.

The Toa returned his attention to the caught, live and new Rahi.

"Mata Nui, what is it?" Pohatu crouched down behind the creature, reaching out with his claws to poke it in the back, getting a hiss and an attempted swipe with an extended blade arm.

The... creature was like most other biomechanical life forms beings of their island world, but despite the black armor it had a more organic look on the outside rather than a mechanical, more than the Corbrii really. And for that matter...

Kopaka pulled his stone brother back and stepped forward. He extended one of his swords with a quick burst of elemental energy, the pale Toa froze the Rahi and part of vine made netting that it had been trapped in. Kopaka waited a moment with his brothers to be sure the incasing ice was holding before moving closer for a better look with Onua.

"The armor isn't really integrated like that of a Matoran's." The earth giant commented, rapping one of his claws on the black colored armor, reaching out with his other hand to pull Gali closer, "Look here, on the edge, the organic matter is burned as well as fused to the metal."

"It is metal," Kopaka said stepping back, "Just metal with no Protodurmus."

"Not very strong then," Tahu put in from behind Pohatu, crossing his arms as the three examined the Rahi. They had learned from the Bohrok to take a chance to examine new creatures like this when they showed up. The last thing the island needed was a new kind of swarm unexpectedly popping up with little to no warning.

"Not necessarily," Onua looked up at his brothers, "Just because it's plan metal doesn't mean it's weak. This is a kind I've never come across before."

"I might have," Kopaka hmmed thoughtfully as his fallowed the plated armor along the Rahi's spine. The body of the thing was a bit long, as well as the arms that curved into spikes on the forearms, folding back not unlike how a praying mantis' claws work. At the bend of that main claw, there were two smaller ones framing the one larger claw, allowing some added grip but no real dexterity like a Bionicle's hands.

The hind legs were a little more normal looking, except for the feet that had been elongated as well, and grasping toes that spread out in three main digits forwards and two on ether side. "Could griptight on much with those," Lewa spoke up again, pointing one of his air blades at the feet. He nudged Tahu and pointed next to the stumped, fleshy tail. "Does that lookseem wrong to you too firespitter?"

"To short." Tahu grunted as Gali said the same.

"It's positioned all wrong," The water spirit said as she moved to examine the front, the neck was a little short to match up with the long body and the head was angular like a reptile...but there was just something very _wrong_ about the whole thing.

"Look like da' result of someone mix and matchin'."

Lewa, Pohatu and Tahu spun around, reflexively going on the defensive but halted as the human formed Kora rocked back, startled at the weapons aimed at her, as well as the charge of elemental energy.

"Ack! No wait- its me, I mean, Kora o' Ice here!" Tala lifted her arms, accent thickening a bit in alarm, dropping her bag as the Kora did so as she herself could drop into a defensive crouch, making less of a target.

"Tala," Kopaka said, reaching back to slap Pohatu's nearer leg, sending a jolt of his element in the slight blow to get him to lower his claws. Too bad it wasn't Tahu that was closer... the older ice spirit looked back over at Tala, "Do you have that knife on you?"

Tala hesitated, eying the group because the Toa where _very_ big after all, "Yes…?" She tilted her head as Kopaka motioned her over. Rolling her eyes the woman started over with a muttered, "Oy."

"Deepfelt sorry little icesister," Lewa said as he slid his swords onto his back and dropped into a low crouch to be at Tala's level as the Kora came by him, "You startled your Toabothers. Forgive?"

Much to the surprise of all, except Kopaka who knew the Kora best so far, Tala stepped closer and lightly thumbed her head against Lewa's. Though she didn't have a Kanohi mask yet, the motion was still the same, the Bionicle equivalent of a kiss. "No worries, I did fallow the lot o' ya' without tellin'." Tala said in her strange accent.

"Tala." Kopaka said as if mildly annoyed, though inwardly enjoying the flabbergasted looks on Tahu and Pohatu.

"Hold your horses," Tala said, stooping to pull out the knife in her left boot, as she stood back up the Kora flipped the Matoran sized blade to her other hand. Grasping it by the blunted blade, Tala threw the thing at Kopaka, and was impressive that he caught it. You know, without losing it in his hand or something...

"What are 'horses?'" Pohatu asked tilting his head as Kopaka examined the small blade.

"An organic Rahi from the human world, Magna," Tala explained, "Used for a bunch o' different things. Like ridin', pack-creatures to carry, pull. Stuff like that before more modern vehicles were made." She eyed the creature Lewa had caught the whole time she was speaking. The Kora was tensing up, though the Toa that noticed assumed it was just from the sight of this new Rahi.

"Onua," Kopaka handed over Tala's knife to the earth giant, "This seems like the same metal that's on the Rahi."

"It does, wrong color but," Onua held the blade between two fingers and tapped the human made metal on his left forearm, listening to the _clink-clink_ that resulted. "What is this little sister?"

"Titanium." Tala said, turning her head to the Toa though her eyes remained on the Rahi, "One o' da' stronger metals on the human Magna." She added squinting a bit. Did that's thing's eyes move under the ice? For that matter its eyes weren't anything like the native Rahi or the Matoran's, most all having bioluminescence and had two or three colors. This was almost like... like... no it couldn't be.

"So manufactured not natural or a byproduct of a Toa's elemental usage." Onua hummed thoughtfully himself now.

"Er…" Tala started swallowing as the Rahi's eye moved to stare ahead, at her.

"How would the beast get this 'titanium,'" Gali stood, saying the new word slowly so not to garble it as she broke the vines with one of her water axes. Intending to take the frozen Rahi to the Turaga to see if the elders knew what it was, they had known of the Bohrok after all, "Let alone having the alloy apart of it in such away?"

"Could it be made?" Pohatu asked, twitching his claws and exchanging looks with Tahu, who didn't seem to like that idea any more than he did.

Tala lifted her hand for attention as she watched the Rahi's gaze shift again to her right, where no one was standing. Her other hand lifted with two fingers pressing just behind her ear, Tala the Kora finally tore her gaze away to scan around.

"The Makuta?" Lewa growled lightly, "As if the darkbad one did not get the Toamessage the last few times." The green Toa's claws dug into the earth under him. "This is _our_ islandhome, and we will protect it and the Matoran alwaysforever!"

"Well said brother." Onua phrased.

"Hit the deck!" Tala's yelled suddenly, dropping down to the ground and covering her head. Too bad the Toa didn't know that phrase. Tala waited a beat as there was a flurry of movement all around and several crashes, the ground itself trembling in a micro bio-quake as both Onua and Pohatu fell. There was a screech that was echo by other voices, the sound of braking glass and ice before Tala lifter her head, peering up between her arms as she watched more of the formally trapped Rahi breaking their pack mate out and into freedom.

Others were clinging to the Toa, Tahu roaring in protest at the one on his back as it used its long fore-claws, alternating between hanging on and jabbing at the exposed bits of hide in joints and between armor. Another was attempting to trip the red elemental up as it attached itself to his legs. Tahu wasn't the only one being assaulted by the creatures, Lewa was leaping and rolling, trying to knock off his unwelcome passengers, unable to reach them. Gali was having less luck as she staggered in mid motion, about to swing her axe to keep one of the Rahi off and away from Onua's exposed neck.

"Brother!" Gali yelled, twisting to use the flat of one of her axes to hit the creature trying to cling to her back. There was a satisfying _scruuunk_ sound before it fell off. "Onua? Pohatu? Kopaka?" She swatted at another on her earth brother, looking to the side in time to see Tahu drop kicking one Rahi before diving at the cluster on their pale brother.

_They are like insects_, The water elemental realized. An individual wasn't overly strong but a group... far more than just an annoyance.

"Why are our Toabrother's not rising?" Lewa demanded as he charged over to defend Pohatu.

"I do not know-ah!" Gali yelped, dropping one axe to grasp and yank one of the creatures off her arm, "Beware brothers… they…bite."

Oh look, they had venom too.

Gali felt her body lock up and then go limp, falling over so she was half on Onua, half beside him. On the up side now she knew what was happening to her brothers. On the down side she found out the hard way. The Toa of water looked up to see one of the Rahi climbing over Onua, the other Toa jerked as his feeling started to come back to his body, thankfully proving the effects were temporary.

The Rahi that was about to bite Gali again found itself being tackled, not by a Toa, but Kora Tala and they rolled away from the Toa. The Rahi was almost twice as big as the Kora but that didn't stop her, after all Bionicle were stronger then they looked. Matoran proved that every day, and although Tala looked human, she _wasn't_.

Actually, as Tahu looked over he had to do a double take, for seeing an un-masked Matoran like form wasn't what he was expecting to see. Not that Tahu knew what to expect... Tala grasped the creature's arms, its claws scrapping the shield like board on her back but not gaining a hold as she headbutted it. "Ta-rota maree!"

"Watch your language!" Tahu snapped reflexively as he shrugged himself free at last, "Lewa, firestorm!" The Nuva leader ordered as he loosened his elemental energy, fire flickered and formed before crawling freely over his armor and on the ground around him.

The open flames were caught up and fed as Lewa added his own elemental energy to Tahu, the two going back to back as the very air crackled. Eyes glower brighter the two built up until a miniature tornado formed with Tahu's fire.

The heat and flames burned at the undergrowth, over the twitching forms of their brothers and the now yipping Rahi. The creatures scrambled away, whining in pain as they fled as fast as their mutated bodies would let them.

It took a visible effort to tame down the firestorm and for Tahu to re-absorb the flames. Lewa hopped away from the other elemental as the protective heat shield protecting them died, glancing back to see the heat waves rolling off Tahu. Lewa looked around, scanning for the creatures but they seemed to have been scared off, or charred. A momentary pang of regret flashed through his heartlight at the pocket of burnt destruction, but his concern for his fellow Toa won out.

"Brother?" Lewa asked kneeling down but a muttering Kopaka. Movement had him and Tahu both lifting their swords before Lewa moved forward, over Kopaka and Onua to lift the stiff, burnt Rahi off Tala. "Icesister?"

"...ow." the unmasked Kora muttered wincing, what exposed grey hide was dried out and uncomfortable against the now just as exposed grey armor. Tala sat up, looking at her claw tipped hand, flexing the fingers, "Well, looks like I figured out how we get out o' the human forms... adrenaline an' the 'oh Mata Nui save me' reaction."

Lewa chuckled softly as he rubbed the Kora's back, pulling on some of his healing energies to ease the dry-stiffness of the hide by fire, he knew (thanks to Kopaka) was more painful for ice elementals.


	16. A spirit that does the ninja-thing

Kora: Mata Nui

Chapter Sixteen:

A spirit that does the ninja-thing

Deni stared intently at the greenery, where the Toa had slipped away with that sometimes unnerved grace and silence that the living elements could do. The Turaga had pushed to get everyone one else, Kora and Matoran alike into the temple, but the young water spirit had spotted Talra- no, no it was Tala as she was called now, doing the best impression of a ninja that Deni had ever seen. It inspired him to do the same and poof off to fallow her, and the Toa, as well.

The trouble was that Deni wasn't nearly as good at the ninja sneaking thing so he lost sight of Tala, and had only the basics of tracking skills on land. He preferred sandy beaches for said tacking, but from what he'd over heard the chance of land-tracking lesions were getting very close. The young water spirit sighed as he stood perched on a low tree branch, casting a longing look at the water.

Closing his eyes the Kora reached out with that other sense that all Bionicle had for being able to feel what was in their environment. The differing energies outside the dominate element, as well as the ever moving flow of them. Unlike a true human mind, a Bionicle had long adapted to this in their Hordika ancestral form so now there was no overload of information and Deni could shift his focus easily.

Ahead and to the right, maybe ten lengths away was the brightly glowing pillars that were the Toa Nuva, a slightly smaller one had to be Tala, and behind him Deni could feel the rest of the Kora as well as the Matoran and their elders. However, there were imprints of shadow like life forms that was not a normal animal Rahi, nor a Matoran. Deni blinked his eyes open, confused to say the least because there was at least a two dozen that were closing in on the Toa.

Dropping down off his branch, and forgoing the ninja thing in favor of trotting after the Toa. When a sudden screeching, roaring battle started, the sounds only slight muffled by the distance, Deni broke into a run automatically. Unable to help the sudden instinct to hunt and purify, it was what all Kora had programed in.

The sudden appearance of two of the creatures that had swarmed the Nuva in order to free one of their own, had Deni jerking back. Eyes wide he reached for the water under foot in this wetland area, a wave of water surged up at his internal call and the strange, mantis like Rahi impacted on that instead of diving their claws into _him_. Now as the creatures overbalanced and flailed to right themselves, something else was happening.

Like Tala only a minute before, Deni could feel the sudden rush as the Kanohi that had disguised him as human cracked. Now broken the illusion fell away from him. Tanned skin became darker shade of almost leather like hide under unmarked grey armor. Bioluminescent yellow, orange and red eyes widen as the Kora started first at his claws before remembering the monster-Rahi and swiped out at an insect like head before its owner could finish rolling over.

"Ta-rota maree!" Deni blurted out, remembering only once he said it that the Toa Hanu used the curse too.

"Watch your language!" Tahu's voice yelled in the semi-distance.

"Wasn't me!" Tala insisted and yelled over her shoulder as she ran ahead of the Nuva, but was out paced by one of the Toa. "Lewa dead ahead!" she yelled fallowing her senses and the sounds of a scuffle (and the strange screeches of the new Rahi-monsters).

"I see icesister..." Lewa muttered as he lengthen his stride to take full advantage of his long legs. His nearly just as long swords flicked out from on his back to his palms as the Toa erupted out of the plant growth.

No longer fueled with just cautious curiosity, the Nuva of air was all too keenly aware how close they were to the Kini-Nui. How close the Rahi were to unsuspecting Matoran, even if most all of them were armed, and Lewa also had put together without being told that the Rahi had paralyzing venom. If that venom could knock down the heavy weights of Onua and Pohatu for a few minutes, it could be near deadly for a Matoran and their smaller mass. So he didn't hesitate this time and Lewa's swords slashed out at the nearer Rahi, growling as he twisted and swiped out with the other, feeling resistance and hearing the mutated creature yawl before one went limp and another had to be dragged off its fellow, now missing one of its mantis like claws.

"Off wit' ya!" Tala yelled after them, a shot of elemental energy had the water around them near freezing and encouraging the creatures to flee just that much faster. Standing knee deep in the water the Kora eyed the creature's backs before they slipped out of sight then seemed to dissolved away from the senses in a worrying way.

"Brother?" Deni and Tahu asked at the same time. The former sitting up and wincing at the cold water as he looked, while the latter of the two came out of the greenery supporting Gali.

Lewa glanced up from inspecting the blade of his sword, touching the red smear, "Strangeweird..."

"Indeed," Gali agreed looking over at the remains, rising an eye ridge before glancing back at the rest of the Toa as Pohatu was giving himself a full body shake to wake up his muscles again. Onua looked about to start doing the same as Kopaka reluctantly shelved dignity temporarily to do so as well. Mostly because there was no Matoran to see him leaning on his shield, shivering and twitching before shaking himself. Gali chuckled softly, one arm jerking and smacking Tahu not so accidently and distracting him from making fun of his brothers.

"Someone grab those remains, I want to study them." Onua ordered as he stretched and flexed, "We can put what remains in Rahi storage so the Turaga can see as well. I don't want something else like the Bohrok happening. If this is another attack on the Matoran and island, we should be prepared this time instead of always _reacting_ to threats."

The eldest of the elementals glanced at Tahu, who nodded back as he relinquished metaphorical control over the Nuva to his brother.

"Lewa," Onua turned back to the cluster made up of green Toa and two gray Kora, "We need your skills in dealing with toxins- that venom is a paralyzing agent if I ever saw one-"

"Muscular neurotoxin this Toahero thinks," Lewa mused as he used a claw to start cutting off a section of the strange metal that was the mutated creature's armor. He smirked at the baffled look from Deni and Tala, "This Toabrother of yours knows much, hmm?"

"To coin a phrase, never judge a Kanohi by just its hansom looks?" Tala offered as she recovered from hearing those heavy words in Lewa's light voice. She grinned in the Bionicle way as Lewa laughed in turn, swiping a hand over her head in the equivalent of someone ruffling the hair of another, normally the gesture would be jarring a mask just a little but the Kora didn't have one yet.

Kopaka stepped around Tahu, touching Gali's other arm to give her a boost of his own elemental energy and help with her self-healing as she was the last to be bit. "Let us return to the Kini, and check on Matoran."

"Yes," Gali nodded, kneeling down to splash the cold water on her mask before taking Tahu's hand and being pulled up again. She glanced at the steam and smiled, "Good Ko-Gi, get a few more of those longer bread leafs- Lewa could you make a proper sack or bag to carry the remains?"

"That is why I asked little icesister to get the wet plants." Lewa pointed out with a quirk of lips and arch of an eye ridge before setting to work, showing the two Kora how to do the Le-Koro waving.

Tala seem to be interested and leery at the same time, fallow right behind Lewa with a thoughtful expression as she resisted the urge to touch the bare Bionicle face. Pohatu had diverted to grab up the original prize of Lewa's hurt to feed the gathering (thankfully finding it untouched), and carried the true Rahi beast over his shoulders to the cooking pit in a side chamber of the Great Temple where Tahu had already started the cooking fire. It didn't take the stone giant long to dress the kill, start it cooking and feed the remnants to the transport Rahi that had brought some of the groups of Matoran.

Pohatu came down into main chamber that was used collectively for meetings, ceremonies, gatherings and other activities for all the villages. Today was to hear about the story of the Kora, the lesser Toa, as the Turaga had gathered what information they could. The hunched Toa peered around to locate who was sitting or perched where. No less than four were perched up on spots to make room for the Matoran, Lewa predictably was balanced on a stone ridge with that eerie Toa grace, his Kora sister sitting cross-legged lower but still on the same half wall.

Tahu had pulled himself on another of the half walls that divided the six sections for the represented villages and elements, yet not so much to isolate any one section at all. On the other side from Tahu and above was Tala, standing on a carved sphere that even a few eight-days from now would not support her as the Kora grew. Tilting his head to the side in order to look up, Pohatu reached up and tapped a claw on a gray leg, getting the back of his hand lightly kicked in returned. The Toa chuckled, "The meat's roasting! Should be done in a bit with Tahu's fires, and it looked like there's enough fish and fruits too." He flashed a grin at the Ga-Matoran who giggled at his attention as the Toa half rolled to park himself in the space they made for him and relaxed as the Turaga sorted themselves out.

"Toa?" Macku asked as she climbed up on Pohatu's shoulder, pressing her mask to the side of his, "Could you...do something to help Hewkii again?"

The Toa chuckled under her, glancing over at where the star athlete of his village was comparing notes with Jaller and Takua. Pohatu grinned again as he nodded, "Sure thing." He closed one eye and purred as Macku hugged his head.

After all it wasn't too hard to lightly nudge a Matoran into another's arms or into the water by 'accident' for a little Ga-Matoran to 'save' him. Macku had made this arrangement before.


End file.
